


Why Do We Fall

by ieatravioli



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Batman AU, M/M, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-06
Updated: 2013-02-07
Packaged: 2017-11-23 23:30:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 30,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/627727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ieatravioli/pseuds/ieatravioli
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liam is Batman and with the help of Robin (aka Niall) he is on the hunt for some escaped convicts. But he can't help be distracted by a mysterious thief that keeps showing up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Have you seen today’s paper?” 

Liam buries his head under the pillow and tries to block Niall’s voice out but to no avail. He is hit in the back of the head repeatedly with that he knows is the newspaper and grumbles incoherently against the sheets. 

“What? I was up until seven am, what time is it?” 

“It is two pm and you should be grateful I let you sleep this long you prick”

Liam sighs and raises his head. The curtains have been drawn and a tray of breakfast sits at the end of his bed. 

“Where is Alfred?” he asks, looking at his now cold pot of tea.

“Dunno but he was being a prat all morning, kept coming into your room with a new pot of tea ignoring my protests” Niall snaps and once again thrusts the Gotham Gazette in his face. 

Liam blinks once or twice and takes the newspaper in his hand. The slogan makes him groan out loud.

**BATMAN LETS ANOTHER FOE ESCAPE IN A HIGH SPEED CHASE**

“I did NOT let him escape” Liam says through gritted teeth and receives a pat on the back from Niall. 

“Next time. But right now, it’s time to eat and train”

Liam nods in agreement and wolfs down the cold toast and fruit on the tray and quickly follows Niall to the batcave. 

For at least an hour, Liam loses himself in lifting weights and punching a bag hard enough to send Niall flying across the room. 

+

It is hard to escape the news. Especially when you are the center of it. Liam watches the main evening news with a scowl. He had not let his latest opponent simply escape his clutches. The man had been fast and skillful. 

And extremely good looking. 

He had been on his way home from patrolling the city when he had heard a ruckus in an alleyway. On first glance, he had seen a man not much shorter than him struggling with two others, much taller and much stronger. He hid in the shadow, quickly deciphering the situation. The man was struggling to pry a bag out of the two men’s hands. He was clearly in distress. Liam could make out his brown eyes glinting with worry under the dingy light of the door of the club. 

It didn’t take long for Liam to decide that the two men were trying to mug the smaller one and he quickly sprang into action. With a swift jump he kicked the first man to the ground and without looking back, he elbowed the other in the face. As he suspected, they were too terrified to retaliate and simply lay there staring up at him. 

Expecting a possibly teary thank you from the person he had saved, Liam was shocked when he turned around to face a menacing smile. 

“Thanks, you’re just what I needed” his voice came out in a bored drawl and annoyingly, Liam had not been able to look away from his lips. 

When he looked down at the men at his feet in confusion one of them blurted out “He stole from us you dimwit”.

Realisation set in but when Liam looked up to face the robber, he had disappeared. Just like Liam often does. He found it to be incredibly annoying. 

“Sorry” he offered gruffly to the two men before running straight up the alley looking for any sign of the criminal. His only clue was a roaring of a motorbike a few feet up the road and soon Liam was in pursuit. 

This is how he finds himself here, sprawled on his couch and glaring angrily at the news reporter who definitely has it in for Batman. 

“Stop beating yourself up, it was one robbery, I’m sure you’ll catch him again” Niall says from the doorway, causing Liam to jump. “Or maybe I’ll catch him” he adds with a bright smile.

“How will that look, Robin does what Batman can’t” Liam snorts, spreading his arms out indignantly. 

“Rude” Niall sighs but flops down beside Liam and switching over to another station. 

Commissioner Tomlinson is standing at a podium making an announcement, something about taxes and Liam is glad when he sees Niall reach for the remote again. 

“WAIT!” he screeches and almost wrestles Niall to hit the pause button. Niall looks terrified and stares at Liam with a bewildered expression. 

“There! That’s him!” Liam points at the screen and stands up abruptly. 

“Who?!”

“The thief! From last night!” 

Niall squints at the television, trying to spot who Liam is pointing at in the crowd of people watching the Commissioner speak. 

Liam’s finger lands on a small head of hair poking out from the crowd. 

“Where?” Niall asks, sure Liam is pointing wrong. 

“There!” Liam again jabs the quiff of black hair and Niall snorts. 

“You’ve really gone round the bend, you cannot possibly recognise his hair for god’s sake” 

Liam levels Niall with one of his more terrifying looks and Niall shrugs. 

“And even if it is, so what? What can we do?”

“Go there! Right now” Liam almost shouts and makes a run for the piano in the lobby. He can hear Niall sigh but follow him and soon the two of them are speeding through the city streets in Liam’s Ferrari. 

They stop outside the city hall where the crowd is starting to dissipate. 

“Can you see him?” Liam asks, pressing his face against the window in an effort to spot the escapee. 

“I don’t really know what the fuck I am looking for so no” Niall grumbles but also looks out in earnest. 

“I do see something I like though” he says, winking at a female reporter walking past. 

“Jesus, why are you my helper again? Alfred would do a better job than you” Liam snaps and waves half-heartedly at a cop who strolls past his car.

“Listen mate, he is not here, you are just over tired and need some sleep, you should take a nap before tonight’s patrol”

Liam sighs and lets his forehead press against the cool glass, watching his breath spread across the surface in an interesting design. 

“Yeah, you’re right” 

He goes back to the house and sleeps for a solid two hours before slipping into his suit and heading out into the night.

+

He returns to a sleepy Niall at dawn, grumbling about the lack of activity and tries his best to catch some sleep. His dreams are riddled with those brown eyes and that mass of hair that he, for some reason, craves to run his fingers through. 

“Insomnia doesn’t suit you” he hears Alfred quip and he jumps from where he was rummaging in the fridge. 

“What?!”

“Well you look horrendous to be honest” Alfred grins at Liam and shoves him away from the fridge to reach inside for the orange juice. Liam glances at himself in the window and realises that Alfred is indeed right. His hair is sticking up at a few different angles, his eyes are red as if he had been crying and his whole body sags in an unhappy stance.

“It’s that runaway thief, he got to you” Alfred chirps, pouring water into the kettle. 

Liam grumbles in denial but it is weak, Alfred is right and there is no point lying. 

Before he can reply, not that Alfred was expecting one, the phone rings in the lobby. Niall is still asleep so Liam walks over to answer it. 

It is a board member from Payne Enterprises suggesting in a bitter tone that Liam should really think about hosting a charity event and soon. He is starting to look bad. In the most friendly way possible, Liam agrees with her and offers to host one this weekend. It might be good for him after all. He often needs a break from Batman to just be Liam, and a party might just be what the doctor ordered. 

+

If Liam is looking forward to the party, Niall is living for it. He has ordered an unnecessary amount of ice sculptures for the ball. Masquerade, of course- Niall’s idea. He thought it would be hilarious in case someone recognised them. Liam tried to coax him out of it but he lost the battle. 

“You are the worst sidekick ever” Liam sighs when Niall leaves his bedroom in his suit and what else but a Batman mask covering his eyes. Unfortunately, it does not cover his mouth so Liam finds it hard to feel truly annoyed when he spots Niall’s cheeky grin. 

“You’re not wearing a mask?” Niall asks, looking a little more than slightly disappointed. 

“People need to recognise their host” Liam smiles, fixing his skinny black tie in the hallway mirror. He hears Niall scoff but before he can chastise him the doorbell rings and they both jump. 

Alfred answers and the first couple of guests arrive. They look good and Niall leaps down the stairs excitedly when he spots someone in a Robin mask. Liam chuckles fondly and remains at the top of the stairs looking down into his lavishly decorated lobby. 

By ten o clock his house is full of people and Niall’s laughter is audible no matter what room of the house Liam hides in. He makes an appearance occasionally but he much prefers chilling in his room than interacting with people whom he has no interest in. 

“Care for a dance?” he hears a low voice behind him as he picks idly at the finger food in the living room. Liam turns around and is faced with a man wearing a devil mask over the upper half of his face. He is wearing a red suit to match and the contrast of it with his darker skin has Liam’s heart racing. So do his lips which are shining in the dim light. 

Liam nods, popping a small triangular sandwich in his mouth and letting the stranger grab his hips in an almost forceful way. The song playing throughout the house has a strange rhythm, neither fast nor slow and the two of them sway oddly to the beat.

“May I ask who you are?” Liam breaks the silence first and spots a smirk on the other boy’s lips. 

“You may”

“Well- who are you?”

“I said you may ask but I didn’t say I would tell you”

Liam frowns; this person might just overtake Niall on the annoying scale. 

“Ok then. Are you from Gotham?” Liam tries again, trying not to focus on how good the hand on his hip feels. 

“Nope” 

“Well, where are you from?”

“Does it matter?”

“Are you always this rude?”

“How am I being rude? You are the one asking me personal questions and you don’t even know who I am” 

Liam sighs. Can’t he ever just meet normal people?

“Fine, I just won’t speak anymore”

“Great”. 

So they sway again in silence and keep eye contact with each other. Liam frowning in confusion as the other smirks at him, as if mocking him. 

“Mr Payne? A word?” 

They are interrupted by the chair of Payne Enterprises, Harry Styles. Liam nods unwillingly and turns to face the stranger to say goodbye. 

“Thanks for the dance, you may need to polish up your moves though” he drawls and Liam stares at the brown eyes which now seem oddly familiar. Before he releases Liam, he draws him in until they are pressed together tightly. 

“By the way, I stole your Rolex and when I leave here, it will be in your Porsche” he whispers right in Liam’s ear, sending involuntary goose bumps down Liam’s arms. With a final smirk, he slips away into the crowd, leaving Liam to gape after him in shock.

_What just happened?_

“Um Liam?” Harry shakes his elbow and Liam waves him off before diving over to the living room window. Sure enough, he watches as his brand new Porsche flies out the gates of his mansion. 

“Are you ok?” Harry asks, stepping beside Liam to glance out the window.

“I was just robbed” Liam states and considers his options. 

He thinks about the stranger. His eyes had stood out the most. Who was he?

“Well can you come visit me tomorrow, I have a new gadget to show you” Harry winks, and leaves Liam alone to brood. 

He lets the party unfold around him, lets Niall and Alfred take care of the guests. He does not really care about his watch, nor the car, what he cares about is who that bastard was. 

After an hour of tearing his own mind apart he sits up in the armchair and nearly knocks over the globe sitting beside it. He knew he recognised those eyes. And those lips. It was the hair that had been different, had thrown him off the scent. 

It was the thief from the other night. 

Liam realises with a sudden jolt that the thief has come into contact with Batman too much, whether he knew it or not. Liam realises with another massive jolt that he has to be stopped right away.

Even if he is still craving to run his fingers through the masked man’s hair. 

+

“You’ve lost your mind mate” Niall murmurs in the batmobile as Liam speeds through Gotham’s streets. “You do realise that there could be several crimes committed as you go on a wild goose chase?” 

Liam knows Niall is right but there is something in him that has to, _has to_ , find this man who thinks he has control over him. Liam is Batman for Christ sake; he does not have time for silly thieves. 

“Ok, in fifteen minutes I will stop searching for him? Is that ok with you?” Liam snaps and Niall scoffs, offended by Liam’s temper. 

“And what if within fifteen minutes a massive burglary happens, someone gets mugged, a kid gets-“

Liam cuts him off with sharp wave of his hand in the hair. Or maybe it was the way he viciously slammed down on his brakes. 

“What is that?” Liam points somewhere in the distance. 

In between and behind two skyscrapers is a thick cloud of smoke. So thick and dark that it is obvious even in the dense Gotham night. 

“Where is that?” Niall asks, looking slightly worried when an orange glow blasts from underneath the smoke. 

“I have a hunch” Liam says and his tone is dark, his eyes even darker. Niall decides not to question him but nervously eyes the way Liam’s hands clutch the steering wheel as he drives towards the site. 

They take no time to get to the source of the smoke. Although, they nearly wish they had. 

“Arkham Asylum” Niall whispers, taking in the now blackened sign of the notorious prison. Liam looks up at the building which has been blown to pieces on one side. 

“This cannot be happening” Liam groans as he takes in what appears to be several high security cells blown apart and empty. 

“Get Commissioner Tomlinson on the phone- now”

+

Louis wakes up suddenly when the phone rings. He hates being one of the most important men in the city, especially at nearly three o clock in the morning. 

“What?” he snaps, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

Sirens blare from the other line and a familiar husky voice starts to speak. Batman. 

“You need to get down to Arkham Asylum, right now”

“What’s happened?” Louis gasps, jumping out of bed and tries to dress quickly with the phone pressed between his ear and shoulder. 

“A massive explosion. The problem? I would say around twenty missing convicts” 

Louis breathes in sharply. “I’ll be right there”.

With a dreaded feeling in his gut, Louis jumps in his too-shit-for-a-commissioner car and speeds towards what he can now see is a disaster zone. 

He makes it there in less than ten minutes, following about three fire brigades and five cop cars. He jumps out and scans the area for the masked vigilante but cannot spot him. 

Instead, he strides up to the police wire and ducks under it, makes his way up to his second in command. 

“Tell me everything you know” Louis snaps and looks up as firemen try their best to douse the last remaining flames in the east side of the building. 

“At around two thirty am, an explosion went off in the east side of the building, we think cell number 42. We have yet to find out how it got in there or how it was detonated. In the explosion, the whole east side of the wall was blown off, allowing approximately twenty two prisoners escape. Highly dangerous criminals. It was obviously planned seen as nobody got hurt” Officer Rowls explains and Louis nods sharply, taking in the information. 

“Any idea who was in cell 42?”

The man looks grim when he nods his head. 

“Well who was it?”

“The Joker”

+

Liam was listening in the shadows and he nearly let out a loud string of curse words when he heard that. _The Joker_. Of course it was, who else would it have been. 

“Damn” Liam mutters and makes sure everything is under control before sidling back to the batmobile. 

“What is it?” Niall asks, immediately taking in Liam’s depressed posture. 

“We have a slight problem”

Niall waits, his blue eyes worriedly scanning Liam from behind his black eye mask. 

“Remember how last year, I managed to get our good friend The Joker behind bars?”

Niall nods slowly, not sure where Liam is going with this.

“Well, he has escaped” Liam laughs and throws his arms in the air. 

“What?” Niall snaps, eyeing Liam’s manic movements in confusion. 

“Yep, isn’t that just fantastic” 

“Liam I-“

“I think it is time for a whiskey”

“But Liam-“

Liam silences him with a glare and starts the engine, speeding off towards his house and leaving Niall in a worried and confused state.

+

Liam wakes up with two faces hovering over him. He fights the urge not to lash out and punch them both.

“I am hungover” he grumbles, trying to lift the blanket over his head. 

“He was drinking?” he hears Harry’s voice question and Niall grunts in reply. 

“Up you get Payne, you were supposed to meet me an hour ago” Harry shouts and Liam can hear the teasing smile in his voice. Two pairs of hands strongly rip the blanket off him and Liam curls up like a snail, shielding his eyes from the light. 

“Alfred has a lovely breakfast prepared to freshen you up, now get a move on” Harry says, dragging the reluctant Liam out of bed. 

Liam eventually gives in and makes his way down to the kitchen where a large supply of food awaits him. He only drinks the orange juice though, not feeling too guilty knowing that Niall will gladly demolish the leftover food. 

He silently joins Harry in the living room where the curly haired man sits on the sofa with a silver briefcase resting on his lap. 

“What is it?” Liam finally asks, his curiosity getting the better of him. 

“I thought you would never ask” Harry grins and pops open the briefcase, looking down on it with a proud smile.

Liam huffs out impatiently and walks around Harry’s perch on the sofa to have a look himself. It looks like a lighter and Liam is far from impressed. Knowing Harry however, it will be something excellent. 

“This my friend is what I like to call the Bat-Dilluminator”

Harry looks positively delighted with himself and Liam audibly sighs, waiting for Harry to explain. 

“With one flick of this switch” Harry says, taking the device out and putting his thumb over the red button on top of it, he presses down and suddenly all the lights go out. It makes only a slight difference to Liam’s eyesight but Niall comes bursting in, falling over the carpet on his way.

“MY X-BOX JUST SHUT OFF AND I WAS ON THE FINAL LEVEL” He cries from the floor and Harry presses the switch again, looking down at Niall with a sheepish expression. 

“It turns off electricity?” Liam looks at the gadget now with more respect, taking the small device in his own hand. 

“Yep, anywhere within a 30 foot radius” Harry grins, his dimple showing.

“Excellent” Liam pats Harry on the back, earning him and even wider smile. Liam pockets it and thanks Harry, plonking down on the couch and switching the television on. 

Commissioner Tomlinson is addressing the city from his usual podium at City Hall, informing them of last night’s events. 

“God he is hot” Harry sighs, looking at the screen dreamily. Liam and Niall try not to snigger at him and fail, laughing openly and Harry tries to shrug it off but his blush gives him away. 

“Anyway, don’t you have people to be finding” Harry snaps at Liam, gesturing at the television where a large picture of The Joker flashes up on the screen. He is wanted for a hefty reward it seems but Liam will be damned before a citizen finds the criminal over him.

“Off we go then Niall, plans to make, people to catch” Liam smirks at Harry, grabbing Niall by the collar and leading him toward the batcave. Harry waves at them and makes his own way out.

After an hour of strategizing, Liam and Niall slip into costume and make their way out into the city. 

In less than hour, Liam spots a familiar face stumbling out of a pub in downtown Gotham. He was once a former inmate at Arkham and clearly in need of a good night’s sleep. Liam parks the batmobile in a dark alley and swiftly moves towards the pub, hoisting the drunkard up off the ground and toward the car. 

“That was quick” Niall grins, helping Liam throw the incoherent man into the back seat. 

“Only twenty one more to go” Liam smiles, sarcasm leaking out of his voice.  
Another pub later and Liam slows down, scanning the crowd smoking outside. He notices a few men gathered around another, jeering and shouting at him with pint glasses in their hands. 

“Leave it” Niall warns, noticing how Liam almost stops the car. 

“But they’re clearly picking on that man” Liam points at the man leaning against the wall of the pub, blowing smoke out the corner of his mouth and eyeing the other men with a hint of distaste on his face. 

“He doesn’t look too bothered” Niall comments, watching as the man puts out his cigarette as if bored. 

Liam does come to a stop but both he and Niall are too immersed in the situation to care. Liam even puts down the window to eavesdrop. 

“Faggot!” some of the men are shouting and both Niall and Liam frown immediately. 

The victim in question holds up a hand as if ready to make an announcement. It has the desired affect and the group fall silent. 

“Now gentlemen, I know you all must be terribly offended over my sexuality and that pains me that I have caused you such inconvenience” 

Liam and Niall look at each other in amusement. Liam looks closer; the man has a wonderful quiff of hair that is almost familiar to him. 

“But I must say, you have raised the issue poorly, and for that, I must have my revenge” 

The words are menacing but the voice is jolly and it leaves the men, and Liam and Niall, in a state of confusion. 

Suddenly, the man braces himself on the wall and kicks out with both feet. His feet collide with the two men closest to him, sending them flying. When the other men realise their friends were attacked, some surge forward. The man fights them off with ease; high-kicks, swift punches and often a nifty jump against the wall and into one of his offenders’ bodies. It is not long until he is on one knee, catching his breath while the group of men lie in pain around him. 

He stands up, fixes a stray hair and strolls away from the pub. 

Liam and Niall look at each other again with matching grins of shock. Liam pulls up next to the mysterious stranger who does not look one bit phased by what just happened. 

“Hey, you ok?” Liam nearly forgets to use his Batman voice, completely in awe. 

The man turns to face them and Liam gasps. The stranger smirks and leans down with his hands resting on the roof of the car.

“I’m perfect” 

Liam stares at his lips and knows immediately who it is. It’s the thief, the one he has been almost dreaming about for days. 

“Were you planning on helping me out back there?” he asks, a lazy drawl to his voice that sends jolts of electricity throughout Liam’s body. 

Liam almost stutters, almost, but glares as hard as he can at the stranger. 

“Get off my vehicle” 

The stranger backs away with his hands up in the air, feigning innocence. 

“Someone’s changed their attitude” 

Liam gets out of the car, his cape sweeping behind him in a dramatic fashion. He hears Niall step out after him. 

“Maybe it’s because I know you’re a thief” Liam stands his ground; ready for a fight. 

“Maybe? You should be one hundred per cent sure about things before you accuse anybody of anything” the man folds his arms across his chest and Liam tries not to stare at the muscles of his arms. 

“You _are_ a thief”

“Prove it” 

Liam nearly growls in frustration, why is this man not frightened of him? 

“Listen, I’d love to stay and chat but I have places to go, people to see”

Liam moves forward to- well he doesn’t know but he knows he should try and stop him and the man backs away with an arrogant smile on his face. 

“See ya around?” 

On that note, the man swings around and with surprising agility, uses the gutter to climb onto the roof of the abandoned building they were just standing outside. 

“You could easily follow him” Niall points out, breaking the electric silence. 

Liam gulps slowly and shakes his head. He jumps back into the car and knows with a sinking feeling that he has an infatuation with his newest enemy. 

Fuck. 

//


	2. Chapter 2

After a week of wallowing in self-pity over his crisis, Liam has only successfully put one other escapee back behind bars. It is starting to not only annoy Niall, but the rest of Gotham too. 

“You know, Commissioner Tomlinson is less than impressed with Batman’s lack of work” Niall throws another magazine down onto the sofa where Liam is sprawled out lazily. 

“I know your heart is pining for a deeply dangerous albeit sexy criminal but The Joker is out there Liam and you need to find him. Before he does something like last time” 

Liam’s eyes dart up to the horrific scar on Niall’s neck which he rubs absentmindedly. Niall is right. The last time The Joker was on the rampage it had left dozens of people hurt, including Niall, and one person tragically dead. 

He sits up and groans at the sharp pain in his head. 

“I’m sorry Niall” he offers weakly but Niall only grins brightly at the fact that Liam at least moved from the couch. 

“Let’s go hunting” Niall beams and dramatically taps the keys on the piano to lead down to the bat cave. 

+

“Is that Harry?” Niall gapes from the roof of the town hall. They are staring down into the dark street with amused but shocked faces. What appears to be the one and only Harry Styles is making a hasty retreat from Commissioner Tomlinson’s car. Looking a little worse for wear. 

“I believe it was” Liam laughs as Harry stalks off. They watch as the commissioner adjusts himself in the car before hopping out himself. 

“Well, who’d of thought” Niall laughs but stops when Liam clamps a hand over his mouth. 

“The roof opposite us” Liam hisses and both their eyes dart over to the building in question. It is small and the roof is a few feet under them but the figure is hard to miss. A short man is perched on the roof wearing an embarrassingly obvious burglar outfit; not even bothering with a mask. A long scar reaches from his eye to his chin and Niall snorts. 

“I know him; he used to work for The Joker. He is definitely one of the escaped convicts” 

“Are you sure?” 

Niall nods grimly and with that they quickly flit from one roof to the other until they are standing behind the oblivious man. 

Liam gestures at Niall to grab the man silently and he does so, using his hand to muffle the man’s surprised shouts. 

“Where is The Joker?” Liam grunts, looming into the man’s view and making his eyes widen with fear. The man shakes his head and murmurs something against Niall’s hand. 

“Nod if you know where he is” 

The man glares at Liam instead and Liam lands a hard punch to the man’s gut. 

“Don’t lie to me” 

Again the man remains still. Liam raises his fist again until the man starts nodding frantically. Niall releases his grip on the man’s mouth and he lets out a low groan of pain. 

“I have no idea where he is, I swear. A ton of us got separated from his group after we escaped; the last we saw of him was outside the courthouse on the same night”

Liam can tell by the man’s worried blue eyes that he is telling the truth. He nods at Niall to convey this and Niall’s shoulders slump with disappointment. 

“Can you let me go now?”

Liam laughs, so hard he nearly lets his normal voice come through and wraps the man up in the rope he took with him. He leaves him dangling from the roof and makes an anonymous phone call to the authorities who will shortly find him. 

+

Another night and they capture another escapee but Liam’s patience is wearing thin. He wants to find more than a petty crazy thief. He wants The Joker and his henchmen behind bars and _now_. The longer the lunatic is out, the worse the damage will be. It leaves Liam a nervous wreck and he worries for everyone in Gotham. 

The worry only escalates when a fire breaks out in Harry’s apartment in the early hours of a Sunday morning. Batman is first on the scene and thankfully Harry is not home. Some gadgets were lying around and Liam thinks to chastise Harry for being so careless. 

He has to find him first. He has to make sure Harry is ok and has been out of the flat the whole night. He starts to panic in case Harry has been kidnapped but he runs into the man in question as he makes his way back to the batmobile. 

“What the fuck?” Harry looks up at his flat which is being doused in water with a look of utter devastation. 

“You’re ok!” Liam nearly hugs him and then remembers that right now he is supposed to be Batman- the dark knight and not Liam Payne- the softie. 

Harry just nods and stares at the blown out building. 

“What happened?” he finally asks, running his hand through his unkempt curls. 

“I got here and it was already in flames, I have no idea” 

“Were there any clues in the flat as to who was behind it?” 

Before Liam can answer Louis runs up behind Harry and stares up at the building in shock. 

“Thank God you were with me” he breathes out and then blushes profusely when he notices who Harry is talking to. “I mean, down at the city hall” he adds with a cough but Liam bites back a smile when he watches Louis’ hand curl protectively around Harry’s trembling arm.

“No clues” he confirms and before Harry can reply he sneaks off, leaving the two bewildered men standing in the street. 

+

“So you lied?” Niall eyes the card in Liam’s hand with an unreadable expression. 

“I didn’t want to freak Harry out. You know what he is like” Liam replies, staring down at the slightly burned joker card in his palm. 

Niall nods solemnly and sighs, checking the monitors for any sign of action on Gotham’s streets. He had tried his best to search for any indication of The Joker being anywhere near Harry’s flat today but the only visitors to the building in question where two old ladies and a cat. 

“This is so frustrating” Liam rips the card in half and paces the floor.

“Well it’s about to get worse” Niall groans and brings up screen 4 to the big screen. They watch in mild fascination as a now familiar quiff of hair attempts to climb the wall of Commissioner Tomlinson’s garage. 

“The robber” Liam sighs and Niall nods, both of them rushing over to the car before anything can be stolen from Louis’ home. 

They get there in under three minutes but there is no sign of an intrusion. 

“He must be inside already” Niall mutters and the two rapidly scale the wall of the garage and into the back garden. There are no tracks or signs of forced entry but when Liam turns the handle to Louis’ back door, it opens with ease. 

Niall takes the kitchen while Liam steps into the living room. He hears a soft thump from a room up the hallway and sneaks towards the door which is ajar. It must be Louis’ study. 

Liam pokes his head in and sure enough, there he is- trying his best to crack into Louis’ safe. 

With extreme stealth, Liam walks into the room and shuts the door without drawing attention. Until he is inches away from the back of the man, he lets out a soft cough. 

The man jumps wildly, drops his bag and turns around. His eyes are covered with a flimsy bit of black material that Liam has to laugh at. The man quickly replaces his look of shock with a smirk.

“Fancy meeting you here” he says and his familiar drawl sets Liam on edge. “Got any proof I am a thief yet?”

“I know you stole from Liam Payne” Liam says haughtily and smiles inwardly when he catches how the man backs away from him.

“Payne? Hmmm, his name rings a bell. Brown hair, brown eyes… gorgeous lips” 

Liam’s heart jumps and he refuses, absolutely refuses, to let those words affect him. 

“Well, I’m not sure about the lips part but I assume we are both talking about the same man” 

The thief snorts and folds his arms defensively. 

“What did I steal? Remind me” 

“A car and a watch” 

“That’s a shame, I am sure he misses them” comes the sarcastic reply and Liam realises with a jolt of guilt that he has not missed them really. 

“It is still a crime. And what are you doing right now, may I ask?” Liam is tired of the back and forth banter and wants to get on with capturing this menace once and for all. 

“Just taking a few quid” the man shrugs as if that is perfectly acceptable. 

“No you’re not” Liam replies and reaches out for the bag. The man holds it at arm’s length and Liam’s eyes unwillingly take in the tattoo that decorates the dark wrist. He reaches up to grab it and feels utterly ridiculous at how this is turning out. The man is smiling wickedly as Liam leans up on his toes to grab the bag. 

“You’re cute Mr Payne” he whispers in Liam’s ear just as he gets hold of the bag. With a loud squawk, Liam falls back, forgetting the bag and landing ungracefully in a heap at the wall. 

He is Batman for Christ sake and he reddens at what he must look like right now. His minds races with a thousand questions for the thief but he does not have the chance to ask any when the criminal reaches the door.

“Seen as I know your _real_ name, it’s only fair you know mine” he adds on his way out. “It’s Zayn” 

+

Niall is in disbelief as he watches Liam study the safe and try to collect any fingerprints that _Zayn_ might have left behind. 

“So not only does he know who you really are, but he also managed to get you stuck in a mop and also steal a heap of Tomlinson’s money? That’s great Liam, really fucking great.”

Liam throws a dirty look in Niall’s direction before they hear a stir from upstairs. 

“Let’s get out of here before Louis catches us” Liam grumbles and makes his way home with an angry Niall in tow. 

Niall questions if he managed to get any fingerprints when they walk in the door and Liam can only respond with a surly shake of his head. 

“God he is good” Niall mutters before retreating to his room with an almost sad slump to his posture. 

Liam can’t help but agree and falls into an uneasy sleep for the rest of the night with the words “gorgeous lips” circling his head like a flock of angry vultures. 

+

After what felt like one hours sleep, Liam wakes up to the rarely used siren ringing throughout the house. 

He jumps out of bed and stumbles down the stairs to find Niall and Alfred holding their hands over their ears and looking at Liam fearfully. They are both in their dressing gowns and it is still dark out. He must have really just got one hours sleep. He punches in the code to turn the siren off and soon the only sounds that can be heard are their own short breaths. 

“What the fuck?” Niall finally gasps, clutching his chest. 

“Stay here” Liam grumbles and sets about patrolling the house. The siren only goes off if someone pulls the chord in the basement and Liam feels like he is in a very cliché horror movie when he pushes the door open. He shouldn’t be afraid. He is _Batman_. However, he can’t help but inch down the stairs as quiet as a mouse and with a fast heartbeat. 

The chord that hangs beside the boiler is swinging slightly; it’s clear someone had just pulled it. He glances around the vast space but there is nobody there. He wants to feel relieved but his heart only beats faster. 

“Niall, check the monitors in the cave for any sign of an intrusion” he shouts up the stairs and hears Niall’s feet padding across the ceiling above him. 

“Anything I can do Master Payne?” Alfred calls down to him and Liam shakes his head, inspecting the basement thoroughly. Alfred will take his silence as a negative and eventually he hears his retreat. 

He finds absolutely nothing and finally makes his way down to Niall who is carefully watching the screen as he rewinds through the past few hours of CCTV. He stops at just under an hour ago when he spots something in the corner in the screen.

“It was him” Niall breathes out, zooming in on the figure. 

Mad green hair, wild black eyes and painted red scars appear on the edge of the screen. Liam’s stomach lurches as the manic grin leers up at him through the pixelated screen. 

“He might still be on the grounds” Liam hurries over to the glass case which contains his suit and changes into it quickly. Niall copies his actions and the two of them run outside to scan the lawn. 

Nothing but a few joker cards scattered across the grass. It is enough to set Liam’s pulse running. 

“We have to catch him Li” Niall mutters and Liam can hear the fear in his voice as he fidgets with a card in his hand. 

“I will. I promise”

+

Harry pops around that afternoon and notices immediately that something is wrong. Before Liam can ask him how he has been since his flat was burnt, Harry berates him.

“What is happening and don’t you dare lie to me”

Liam and Niall share a glance. It will be futile to lie and Harry probably has a right to know anyway. 

“The Joker is messing with us. All of us. It was him who set your flat on fire and he paid us a visit this morning”

Harry lets out a long breath and his eyes flicker to Niall. Liam reads the brief worry in his eyes before they look away again. Harry is worried about Niall just as much as Liam is. It makes him nervous. Although he may be Batman and the peace-keeper of the city, Harry is always calm. Always. But not now. 

“Any idea where the bastard is hiding? Or where he is off to next?” 

Liam shakes his head.

“He’ll probably do this for a while. Try and scare us” Niall says and Liam knows he is right.

“Ok well I’m sure you’re doing your best to catch him, I’m here for you all the way” Harry nods at them grimly. Liam feels such a rush of affection for him then that he does not refrain from pulling Harry into a tight hug. After a feeble attempt of a struggle, he finally nestles into the crook of Liam’s neck and soon Niall is joining them where they stand in a tight circle for well over ten minutes. 

+

Before Liam goes to meet Louis in the town hall, he pops into the coffee shop across the road. With half an hour to spare, he allows himself to sit down and enjoy his latte and muffin. This enjoyment lasts approximately five minutes.

“May I join you?” 

Liam groans into his mug. He does not need to look up to see who it is. But he does anyway because he can hear the smile and he wants to see it. Sure enough Zayn is looming over his table with his own mug in hand and usual smirk plastered on his face.

“No” Liam says but does not mean it and he is secretly pleased when Zayn ignores him and drags the chair opposite out from the table to sit down. 

“Nice day” Zayn looks out the window over Liam’s shoulder and Liam snorts.

“I _was_ having a nice day until you showed up” 

“That hurts” Zayn places his hand over his heart but his tone is sarcastic. God he drives Liam mad. 

“What do you want?” Liam snaps, trying to pick the raisins out of his muffin. Anything to distract him from the way Zayn’s long fingers wrap around the white mug of coffee in his hand. 

“Liam. I like that name” and Liam hates how good it sounds coming from his mouth.

“What do you want?” Liam repeats through gritted teeth. 

Zayn leans in, inches away from Liam’s ear and whispers “you”.

Liam jerks back and stares. Zayn laughs into the palm of his hand and his hair is not in the famous quiff today. Its down and covering his eyes when he hangs his head and Liam hates him he thinks. 

“Why have you not turned me in yet?” Zayn asks, blowing into his coffee and making Liam’s eyes flicker down to the ‘o’ shape that his lips form. 

Liam considers the question. He asks himself the same thing daily. 

“Why do you steal?” he asks instead, avoiding the question. 

Zayn looks at him properly. His eyes are a medley of browns and Liam watches as several emotions cross through them at once. 

“Well. Let’s see. Maybe ever since Payne Enterprises stopped funding the children’s hospital I’ve been finding it quite difficult to pay for my sister’s treatment” Zayn says and his tone is icy and his glare even colder. 

Liam flinches. He cannot recall ever stopping the payment for the hospital. His mind is already laden with hundreds of questions and worries and this just adds to it. He wants to ask Zayn what treatment his sister needs but bites back his curiosity. 

“When did we-“

“Ah. And here was me thinking The Batman cares for Gotham’s citizens more than anything else” Zayn interrupts, taking a long gulp of his drink. 

Liam squirms uncomfortably. He had no idea and he feels so ashamed.

“I- I do”

“Really? Then why have I resorted to stealing from the rich like some sort of Robin Hood?” Zayn is starting to smirk again but his tone puts Liam on edge. Liam has no response; he just gapes at Zayn helplessly. 

“Don’t fret, I’m sure you weren’t behind the decision” Zayn laughs and his grip on the cup loosens and if Liam wants to believe it, he thinks Zayn’s fingers reach out to touch his. But they only curl further around the porcelain and drum against it softly. 

It gets awkward then. They both eye each other as they drink their coffee until Liam jumps when his phone goes off in his pocket.

“You’re late” Louis’ voice snaps through the line and Liam looks at his watch. Indeed he is five minutes late and he hurries through an excuse and the rest of his drink. 

“You gotta be somewhere?” Zayn watches with amusement as Liam fumbles around the table. 

“Don’t you?” Liam retorts as he shoves the rest of the muffin in his mouth. 

“You’ll probably find me trying to rob one of your cars tonight by the way” Zayn adds with a wink before Liam heads out the door without bothering to reply.

+

“I need you to get me a meeting with Batman” is the first thing out of Louis’ mouth when Liam walks into his office. 

Liam sighs. He wishes he could just reveal his true identity to Louis but the less people that know the better. 

 

“I can pass on a message if you wish” he offers and nervously watches as Louis paces his office. 

“I need him to keep a close eye on someone for me; I’m getting a bit worried”

“Harry?” Liam asks and Louis’ eyes narrow as he rounds on Liam. “Before you go off on one, I know what happened to his flat. And I know that there is something going on with you two so don’t even try to lie” Liam says. He has had a frustrating day and is in no mood for Louis’ bullshit. 

Louis just looks at him carefully. He finally nods his head and lowers himself into his plush red chair. 

“Well can you tell him or not?” Louis asks, fidgeting with his tie and smiling slightly in relief when Liam nods. 

“Also, someone broke into my safe, can you ask him to watch out for any future intruders to my home?” 

Liam almost laughs and nods again before dipping out of the building. He will never admit it but he passes by the café again, just in case and returns home disappointed when there is no sign of Zayn. 

+

The disappointment doesn’t last long when Liam hears a loud crash in his garage just as he was about to descend into the cave to change into his suit. 

“What the hell was that?” Niall whips around and stares out the kitchen window towards the garage. 

“Leave this to me” Liam sighs, patting Niall’s shoulder in assurance and walks outside and towards the dark building. 

He didn’t think Zayn was serious but his heart stutters when he walks through the door and finds the person in question leaning on the bonnet of his new Ferrari. A car he didn’t even want in the first place. 

“Are you serious?” Liam sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose when he watches Zayn smile up at him. 

“As a heart attack” Zayn whispers but it fills the whole room and every inch of Liam’s body.

Liam walks towards him and almost feels like he should prepare for a fight. 

“I have places to be you know, I am quite an important person. I have no time for your games, and frankly you are-“

Liam is cut off when Zayn reaches up and grabs Liam’s collar. Liam thinks he should prepare for a head-butt but instead is completely shocked when he feels warm lips touch his own. He keeps his eyes open, staring wildly at Zayn whose eyes are clenched shut. He can see all of his million eyelashes casting a beautiful shadow on his cheekbones. It is brief embrace but enough to make Liam’s heart pound against his ribcage.

“What the hell?” Liam gasps when Zayn finally releases him. 

“Sorry” Zayn says but he doesn’t look or sound one bit apologetic. 

Liam wants to tell him to get out. He is a criminal and bad news. But his lips. His eyes. His stupid quiff. They are everywhere and everything and Liam wants another taste. So he pushes Zayn down onto the car and cups his face, planting a proper kiss onto his mouth. Their lips fit together beautifully and when Liam finally licks into Zayn’s mouth he revels in the soft moans that escape both their throats. 

“For FUCK sake” comes a shocked shout from the doorway and Liam jumps up and turns around. Niall is standing in the doorway, gaping at the two of them in a mixture of horror and shock. 

Zayn leans up on one elbow and waggles his fingers at Niall. 

“I don’t even know what to say about this but right now Harry is missing and we need to go!” Niall shouts, running out the door and leaving Liam and Zayn in an electric silence. 

“Who is Harry?” Zayn asks as Liam makes his way to the door. 

“My friend” Liam manages to say even though his ear are ringing with _ZaynHarryZaynHarry_. 

Zayn says nothing more and Liam runs towards the house after Niall, panic now setting in. 

“What do you mean he is missing?” Liam shouts as he changes into his suit. 

“I mean neither myself nor Louis knows where he is” Niall snaps, trying to tie his mask on with trembling hands. “We have to go the hotel room where he was staying and search for any clues” 

Liam nods and hops into the batmobile, starting to drive off before Niall is even inside the vehicle. 

+

The hotel room is a mess. It looks like there was a struggle and Liam’s breathe hitches when he traces his fingers across the stark red paint splattered on the wall. _“ha ha ha”_ is all it says but it is the opposite of funny. 

“He has him” Niall breathes out and the two pace the room racking their brains for any hint of where he could be. 

If Liam had not been beside the window he would have missed the cough that came through the pane of glass. He whips around and spots Zayn dangling from the fire exit with the black mask covering his eyes. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” Liam hisses when he drags the window open. 

“I thought you might be interested in this?” Zayn sneers, holding up a discarded shoe and waving it in front of Liam’s face. 

Liam reaches out to snatch it but Zayn pulls it back. 

“I don’t have time for this” Liam snarls. 

“You are so impatient. There is another clue on the level below this, that’s why I always scale the walls and don’t use the elevator like an idiot” Zayn snaps, annoyed with Liam’s lack of gratitude. 

Liam considers what he said for a moment and soon joins him outside, with Niall close behind. Zayn quickly descends the ladder and lifts up a sheet of paper that was lying under another shoe that clearly belonged to Harry. 

Scribbled in lazy handwriting are some letters and numbers. Liam automatically knows they are coordinates and rushes down to the batmobile to check them on the map. They lead to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Gotham.

“Get Louis on the line. Now” Liam says but Niall is already on the phone and Liam can hear the panic on the other line. 

“How did you…” Liam turns to Zayn and gestures all around them. He tries not to remember their kiss earlier during this moment but he can’t help but gulp when Zayn licks his lips.

“I followed you. In your Ferrari of course” Zayn smiles.

Liam wants to say thank you but his voice is caught in his throat. All his senses are heightened now as they search for Harry. So he uses touch. He reaches out and strokes a thumb across Zayn’s cheek and down to his jaw. Zayn’s eyes are wild when Liam withdraws his hand but nothing else can be done when Niall is tugging on Liam’s cape and urging him toward the car. 

+

The warehouse was never cause for fear until now. It silhouettes in the moonlight and it looks like some form of giant monster. 

“Why is he here?” Niall mumbles when Zayn pulls up behind them. 

Liam shrugs and pretends he doesn’t feel slightly giddy that Zayn ignored his request to go home. 

“You sure you want to come in?” Liam asks, quietly observing Niall as he looks out the window and up at the grey walls of the warehouse. 

Niall strokes his scar and nods his head fiercely. 

“You better be trustworthy” Niall jabs a finger in Zayn’s direction when they hop out of the car. 

Zayn just laughs in reply and ignores Niall’s intense glare. 

“Let’s go” Liam whispers and edges closer to the building. 

When they finally slink against the cold wall, they hear nothing. Not a sound or indication that there are any inhabitants. They almost think they have the wrong place. Until a loud cry of pain leaks out into the air. 

“Harry” Niall hisses and makes to burst in the door but Liam throws his arm out and grabs him. 

“Zayn, can you find a secret way in?” Liam turns and Zayn folds his arms across his chest. 

“Since when am I a good guy?” he grumbles but when Liam furrows his brow and hands him a rope he sneaks around the back of the building.  
Niall is growing restless and every pained noise that Harry emits only rouses him further. 

“Come on” he urges through gritted teeth and Liam is just as impatient as he is. They have to be careful though, they have to think with their heads, not their hearts. 

“Pssst” 

Liam and Niall’s heads snap up and Zayn is lowering a rope down to them from the roof.

“There is a break in the roof just here, come on” 

Liam reaches up for the rope and just as he gets a grip on it, it falls down around his feet. Liam walks backwards by two steps and his heart lurches at what he sees.  
Zayn is being held back by two men. Two henchmen of The Joker and one has a firm grip over Zayn’s mouth and his wide eyes give away any sense of calm Zayn tries to exude. 

Before Liam can even think, a cackling sound comes from behind the trio. 

“I’ve been waiting for youuuu” 

Niall gasps from Liam’s side as The Joker steps out from behind Zayn. He is tall as ever, skinnier though after spending many foodless nights in Arkham. His green hair is longer and greasier. But his scars are the same. They always will be; shining starkly from his face. The bright red paint covering them a grim reminder of just how crazy this man is. 

“You know you’ve really let me down with this weak entrance. You send this-“ he points what looks like a switchblade at Zayn’s throat “to break you in, or stop me? Either one, it’s pretty pathetic”. He grins all around him now, smoothing down his leather purple coat. “ _He’s_ pretty pathetic” he laughs and with one nudge, he sends Zayn toppling down into the warehouse below. 

Liam steps forward subconsciously and his stomach churns when he hears something thump inside the building. 

“Oh ho ho. Special friend of yours? I tend to have a knack for hurting your special friends. Don’t I? _Robin_?” He bends down now to get a proper view of Niall who is doing his very best not to show any sign of fear. 

“How’s the scar?” 

“Fuck off” Niall replies and The Joker howls with laughter, his henchmen joining in. The noise is eerie and echoes horribly throughout the vast area. 

“Get them” The Joker growls abruptly. Without a chance to react, two men emerge from the shadows of the warehouse and grab Liam and Niall. They get a good grip on them and drag them inside the building. 

The Joker’s laughter reverberates everywhere and next thing Liam knows he is being hit across with head with someone hard and everything falls into the darkness. 

He is trained to adjust to the darkness but this one is different. It sucks him in against his will and brings him into the unconscious. 

//


	3. Chapter 3

He doesn’t know how long it has been but Liam wakes up in the bright. His eyes take a few minutes to adjust and he realises it’s not the sunlight, but the fluorescent lights of the warehouse shining down onto him. It takes him mere seconds to recount everything that happened and he quickly scans his surroundings. 

He is in a small empty room with glazed windows and he can make out noting beyond them. He has a sharp pain in his left eye but apart from that nothing else hurts. He should be able to break from his restraints pretty easily. He puts his worries for the missing Niall, Harry and Zayn from his mind and focuses on the ropes binding his wrists. 

With some effort and a lot of strength, he can’t help the small grunt as he pulls his arms apart and snaps the rope. He repeats the actions on his feet and soon he is standing in the room and creeping towards the door. 

Just as he is about to try the handle, the door opens and he is quickly slammed to the ground and held down with a pair of strong arms. Before he can fight back, he looks up and his eyes widen when he realises it is Zayn. 

“What-“

Zayn quietens him by placing his hand over his mouth and nods his head quickly towards the door. Liam takes the opportunity to scan Zayn for any injuries; he did fall from the roof after all. He finds no external damage and feels relieved. 

His relief is cut short when he hears a cry outside the room. He can’t tell if it is Niall or Harry and doesn’t really care, he just knows he has to help them. He struggles against Zayn’s grip and tries to convey with his eyes what he means to do. 

“Just wait a few seconds, I’ll help you” Zayn whispers and waits for Liam’s short nod before he loosens his grip and trusts Liam enough to let him go. 

“Are you ok?” Liam asks, scanning Zayn again and feeling slightly confused that the man has no injuries. 

“Nine lives” Zayn smirks and crawls towards the door to peer out. 

“Where are they?” Liam hisses when he hears another noise from outside the room. 

“All over the building, the question is- where is the Joker?” Zayn replies and his brow is furrowed; Liam would say he looks more angry than worried. It makes his heart pound with worry. 

Before Liam can answer, there is a loud cackle close to the room that makes the hairs on the back of Liam’s neck stand up. Zayn whips back around so his back is to the wall and he eyes Liam fearfully. But Liam refuses to sit still and stands up, bracing himself for a fight. 

“Don’t” Zayn begs, looking up at Liam who is fixing his cape, untangling it so it doesn’t trip him up if he needs to run. 

He has no time to answer or make Zayn feel any safer because in that moment, The Joker struts into the room with his two henchmen on either side of him. He looks down at Zayn with a cruel smile.

“Lost your nerve I see” he laughs at Zayn and turns his eyes to Liam who looks and feels more than slightly confused. “Ah… oh… oooh this is too good” he laughs even louder and blocks the doorway when Zayn tries to make a run for it. 

“You thought your little thief friend here was turning into one of your cronies eh? My my, this brings a tear to my eye” The Joker laughs while wiping an imaginary tear from his eye. Liam’s eyes connect with Zayn’s and they look sad, regretful. It’s a stark contrast to the usual mirth and mockery he finds in the brown orbs. 

He realises then that Zayn has been working with The Joker all along. He tries not to react but he is pretty sure something changes in his posture and expression. Zayn looks away from him with a regretful look and he looks as heartbroken as Liam feels. It’s satisfying for Liam to watch. 

“He led me to you, he helped distract you while I kiddy napped your little curly friend, he has been most useful” The Joker speaks as if he is leading an army into war, all dramatic gestures and loud exclamations. 

“Where is my money?” Zayn finally speaks and he is shaking, refusing to catch Liam’s eye. 

The Joker turns to him sharply and grabs Zayn’s face in his hand. Liam hates how part of him still wants to lunge forward and protect his betrayer. The Joker laughs for a solid minute right in Zayn’s face and it’s loud and menacing and terrifying. 

“Your money??”, more laughter, bordering on hysterical, “There was never any money, you trusted _me_ , what else did you expect, now run along kid, leave this to the big boys”.

He lets go of Zayn’s face and if Zayn looked heartbroken before, Liam can’t tell what he is now. 

“Go on… run along now” The Joker laughs when Zayn refuses to move and choses to stand there staring at Liam instead. 

“I’m sorry” Zayn whispers in a broken voice and it feels like a punch to Liam’s gut. 

“FUCKING RUN ALONG” The Joker screams, reaching into his coat for what Liam fears is a gun. 

“Do as he says” Liam orders and he hopes he doesn’t sound desperate; he hopes he sounds nonchalant. Like he never cared about Zayn in the first place. 

Zayn takes one last look at Liam and his eyes are screaming _forgive me_. Liam looks away from him before he does something stupid like tell him it’s alright. He hears Zayn running out of the room and finally lets out a breath. 

“How romantic” The Joker gushes and holds his hands up to his heart. 

“Where are they?” Liam asks, gritting his teeth impatiently. 

“Now now, patience is a virtue” The Joker snarls but his face remains pulled up in that tight smile of his. 

Liam sighs and he knows he is in for a long night. The Joker has been waiting for this; has been waiting for his moment to take centre stage once more. 

“I’ll let your whiny little friends go, if you play your cards right” he smiles and lays out a deck of cards on the seat Liam was tied to. Liam knows without looking they are all jokers. So he waits. 

“You give me Gotham, I’ll give you them” The Joker sings as he flips all the cards around, smiling at the clown faces looking up at him. 

“I don’t _own_ Gotham, I can’t just give it to you” Liam snorts and The Joker slams his hands down and causes some of the cards to fly about the room. 

“Yes you do, and I want it” He laughs up at the ceiling and gives Liam a good viewing of his unpainted neck. Seeing the unpainted side of The Joker always scares Liam- it reminds him the man was not always a maniac. Was once just like Liam. 

“Come with me” he dances out of the room and Liam knows it will be futile to not follow him. 

The Joker prances down the hallway and his henchmen follow Liam, keeping their eyes trained on him so he doesn’t try anything funny. 

He keeps flitting and moving sharply and Liam almost has to jog after him until they come to the flight of stairs that leads into the main atrium. 

Liam looks over the banister and sees both Niall and Harry tied to chairs like he was, hands and feet bound and blindfolds covering their eyes. It makes his whole body tense up and The Joker tuts at him when Liam clenches his fists. 

“Don’t be hasty” he giggles and clicks his fingers. One of the two men hovering between Niall and Harry’s chair’s snaps into action and delivers a strong blow to Niall’s stomach. Niall grits his teeth and holds in his yell and Liam knows it is for his benefit. 

“Oooh being a brave boy are we Robin? Earlier I had him squealing like a pig” The Joker cackles and struts over to Niall with an evil smile on his face. Liam holds his ground but prepares himself. If Niall comes into any serious danger he’ll fight them all. He’ll gladly kill them all if he has to. 

The Joker hovers over him cruelly and Liam can see how Niall’s body shivers with fear. 

“We played a little game of nursery rhymes, didn’t we?” and he starts humming a familiar tune, dragging his fingers all over Niall’s body and pressing down firmly on Niall’s scar. Niall bites his lip ‘til it bleeds and his shivering intensifies 

“Leave him” Liam grunts and The Joker whips around as if Liam told him Christmas had come early. 

“Shan’t” he grins at Liam, looking forward to teasing them all and Liam won’t let him have it. 

“If you don’t leave him-“

“You’ll what? Do this to me?” The Joker punches Niall in the stomach again and this time he does yell and it goes right to Liam’s heart. “Or this?” and a punch to Niall’s face and Liam moves to stop him but the henchmen get a strong hold on him. When The Joker is satisfied that Liam is restrained, he stops punching Niall and leaves him shaking and moaning in his seat. 

“What about curly? Don’t you care about him?” he turns to Harry who already looks black and blue. “I’ve been torturing him for _hours_ , I’m running out of places to turn him purple” he backhands Harry without even looking and Harry just grimaces. Liam knows it’s the lightest he has gotten since being held captive and it nearly drives him mad. 

“Stop” Liam snaps. 

“You want to know why I am doing this?” 

Liam doesn’t answer but knows he will hear it anyway. 

“All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy. This is your bad day Mr Batman”. 

He turns around and takes what looks like a knife out of his pocket. He leans down to Harry’s level and says to him in a mockingly sweet voice “I think it’s time you and your friend Robin here had some matching scars, what do you think?”

Liam watches in horror as he raises the knife to Harry’s neck. Not again. He can’t do it again. He gets flashes of Niall little over a year ago, being rushed into Gotham City Hospital with a bleeding neck and how he nearly died. How not only Niall’s life, but his own flashed before him that night. He refuses to let it happen again. 

“No!” Liam shouts and struggles against the strong grip around his arms, trying his very best moves to try and break free to no avail. 

“What are you gonna do? Grunt at me some more? Show me your muscles? I’m shaking in my boots” The Joker cackles and even shakes his legs erratically. His henchmen nearly fall over with their shakes of fake laughter. 

“Leave them, take me instead” Liam offers and he knows it’s weak but he is running out of options and he can see the tear tracks on both Harry and Niall’s faces. 

The Joker grins manically and dances around them. “My hero” he coos in Liam’s face and plants a wet kiss on his cheek. It makes Liam feel sick. 

He is dancing back to Harry when Liam’s ears pick up a small noise outside the warehouse. His eyes dart back to The Joker who is whispering god knows what into Harry’s ear and realises he didn’t hear a thing. He hopes, no _prays_ , it is Louis and starts to stall for time. 

“Hey Joker, how was your time in the Asylum? Have fun eating your food through a straw?”

The Joker grimaces before turning back around with a wild flourish. 

“Yes actually, that way it didn’t go straight to my thighs” he laughs, patting his thigh with his knife. 

“How did you escape?” Liam asks and knows he has him. The Joker can never resist retelling a tale of his own ‘genius’. 

“Well Batsie, it took a lot of time, I’m not gonna lie. But after a lot of torture, gambling and sweet talking- you know me, I’m a charmer- I set myself up a team of highly…”

Liam blocks him out and focuses on his surroundings. He keeps his eyes trained on The Joker hoping to give the illusion that he is listening. His hearing though starts to pick up on minute sounds just outside the building. The rustling of a bush, the hushed panicked tones of whoever is outside, the click of a safety catch. His heart starts to thud with anticipation and he cuts The Joker off in the middle of his story. 

“Sorry you lost me… I got bored”

The Joker’s eyebrows rise and his mouth curls into a snarl. 

“Bored? My dear Batman I find that quite hard to believe” he says while stepping closer to Liam, knife swinging dangerously in his gloved hand.

Before anything more can be said or done, the doors to the warehouse burst open and sure enough, Louis is head of the team. Liam almost whoops but instead swings his arm around to catch the surprised henchman holding him right on the jaw. He falls to the ground and Liam bounds forward to try and grab The Joker. 

He should have known better though; The Joker, although surprised, is used to these situations and had quickly flitted away from both Liam and the police force. He was grinning wildly as he climbed the ladder up to the higher level. 

“Don’t shoot” Louis shouts as his men make quick work of the henchmen and start to aim their guns at The Joker who is swinging madly from rung to rung, making himself an impossible target. 

“Harry!”

Liam’s eyes tear away from his enemy in time to see Louis rush over and rip the blindfold off Harry and cup his face in a way that makes Liam feel almost jealous. Harry struggles to hold back tears as Louis rubs his face as if he cannot believe Harry is real. “I got you” Louis whispers and Liam can see how he struggles to hold himself back from kissing Harry’s bruised face. 

Liam rips his gaze from them and starts to chase after The Joker who has reached the top level. The rope Zayn had swung down to Liam is dangling from the ceiling and Liam knows The Joker is making a beeline for it. Using the few batblades he has left, Liam desperately throws them at the rope in a futile effort to cut it. 

The Joker grabs on to it and swings up, laughing manically as he does. 

“Parting is such sweet sorrow, dearest. Still, you can't say I didn't show you a good time. I’ll miss you” he sings before blowing Liam an exaggerated kiss and disappearing up into the night. 

Liam curses and runs up the stairs, hastily climbing the rope. When he gets to the roof he sees a car, speeding off and the dust of the road following it. He curses again, stomps his foot a little and retreats back down to the warehouse. 

He moves straight to Niall who has been untied and looks a little better than he had before. He is pale and shaking but smiles when Liam approaches. He’s always smiling though but right now, Liam couldn’t be more grateful.

“You ok?” 

“I’m fine, just a bit shaken. I’m more worried about Harry though. And you” Niall answers in a quiet voice and Liam eyes Harry who is being mollycoddled by Louis as the paramedics try and get to him. 

“I’m ok too, just pissed off. _Very_ pissed off”

Niall just sighs and they both move towards Harry who is sporting some very painful looking cuts and bruises but smiles through it all the same. 

“I’m sorry Commissioner Tomlinson but we need you to let us check him for any serious injuries” the paramedic coughs. Louis’ eyes narrow and he doesn’t move from his position kneeling at Harry’s feet. 

“Louis, it’s ok go on” Harry says through a mouthful of blood and if Liam’s stomach clenches at that he doesn’t want to know what it does to Louis. 

“I can check him” Louis snaps and turns around to glare at the paramedic who looks a bit bored or nervous; Liam can’t tell which. 

“Commissioner, I need you for a moment” Liam intervenes before Louis fires the poor girl. Louis sighs and mutters “I’ll be right here” before moving from Harry and towards Liam. 

“What the fuck happened here?” Louis snaps and Liam can nearly count the bags under his eyes. 

“The Joker- he and some of his men, kidnapped Harry” 

“No shit. But why?” Louis’ eyes narrow even more, if that is possible. 

“I don’t know but –“

“Bullshit. I asked a friend of mine to tell you to look after him and fucking look at him” Louis hisses and gestures towards Harry who is grimacing as the paramedic probes his face. 

“I got that message and I tried my best Commissioner, believe me I am just as upset over this as you” Liam tries but Louis growls, actually growls. Even Liam in his Batman suit cowers under him. 

“Don’t. You didn’t do your job properly and he got hurt. You also let that madman escape so god knows who else is going to get hurt now! If he ever gets hurt again, so help me!” Louis turns on his heel then and leaves Liam in a ringing silence. 

He knows Louis’ temper is short and his words are always used with the intent to hurt, but he is right. Liam didn’t do his job properly and now the Joker is still on the loose. And Harry and Niall’s lives had been in danger. And he trusted Zayn. And Zayn was nothing but a rat. 

He swallows the bitter lump in his throat and walks over to tap Niall on the shoulder before walking out to the batmobile. 

“You ok?” Niall asks when Liam takes off his mask and puts his head in his hands. 

He ignores him and starts the engine, ready to get home and finally sleep.

+

“Mr Styles is here to see you” Alfred wakes Liam up late the following day and it nearly takes Liam a moment to recap on last night’s events. 

He grumbles before struggling through his muscle ache to put a dressing gown on and hobble down to the living room. He walks in to find Niall curled up in the corner of the sofa, Harry perched beside him and a protective Louis standing behind the sofa hovering over Harry.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Liam straightens up, unwilling to show Louis that he is in pain. He would raise his suspicions. He can see with a stab of guilt that Niall is tightly wrapped in the blanket to cover his injuries. Judging by his rosy cheeks peeking out from the hood, Niall is too warm and Liam is in for a mouthful. 

“Harry, what happened to you?” Liam gasps, moving over to inspect Harry’s face. He thinks he deserves an Oscar. 

“Cut the act Li” Louis sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose and Harry looks away from Liam guiltily. “You too Niall”. 

Niall throws the blanket off him and takes an exaggerated gasp of air. “Thank fuck, I was sweating in that thing” he mutters and doesn’t even cower away from Liam’s glare. 

“What are you-“

“Harry told me”

Liam looks at Harry again whose cheeks may just put up a good rivalry against Niall’s. 

“More like you forced it out of him” Liam sighs and waves his hand half-heartedly when he sees Louis prepare himself for an argument. 

“What the hell Liam? Why didn’t you tell me before, everything would have been so much easier” Louis says and his tone is gentle this time. Liam looks at his eyes and sees the worry swimming in the blueness. What he means to say is: _Harry or Niall wouldn’t have been hurt_. 

“It would have put you at risk, the less people I care about that know the better” Liam says through gritted teeth, the same argument he and Niall often have always leaves his fuse running short. 

“Jesus you are so stupid sometimes, that’s some Harry Potter shit right there” Louis groans and puts both his hands on Liam’s shoulders and levels him with one of his most fed-up looks. 

“The more help you have the better, now shut up and sit down and tell me what we are going to do to catch this fucker” 

Liam opens and closes his mouth for a few seconds, waiting for an adequate argument to come to mind. But he glances behind Louis for a moment. Niall is wincing, clutching his side but putting on a brave face for the lads while Harry can hardly open his left eye and instead winks up at the two of them. He looks like an endearing victim if Liam had to put a label on it. He looks at Louis, fierce and willing to fight for the people in this room. 

He realises that it is them, not Batman, who are really keeping this city safe. Their bravery, strength and friendship. Liam knows he would be nowhere without them.

“Ok, sit down and we’ll discuss it” Liam sighs. 

Louis beams at that, an eye-crinkling smile that is rare in the eldest man these days. He jumps over the back of the sofa and lands beside Harry who is smiling with effort. Liam can’t help but grin at them. He cracks open his finest whiskey and takes out his most detailed map of Gotham. 

“Let’s get to work”. 

//


	4. Chapter 4

The thing Liam hates most about nightly patrols these days are when it’s not busy. He shouldn’t hate it really, he knows that. It means Gotham is safe and that The Joker is lying low. But it means he is left alone with his thoughts as he lurks through the dark alleyways. 

He hates how he hopes he will run into Zayn. He doesn’t know what he would do if he did. He wants to kill him, he really does. But he wants to kiss him too. He often imagines running into Zayn in some bar fight, proceeding to fight for his honour and then Zayn will tell him he is sorry and Liam will swoop him into his arms and they’ll go running off together. 

That doesn’t happen though. 

Instead Zayn seems to have fallen off the face of the Earth. And Liam hates him for that too. For running; even though he betrayed Liam and probably never cared for him in the first place, Liam wishes he could just ask him why.

“What happened?” Niall asks when Liam sulks into the kitchen at 3am after another quiet night. 

“Nothing, why? And why are you awake?” he sighs as Niall piles meat upon meat on a very large but delicious looking sandwich. 

“You look upset and I couldn’t sleep” 

Liam looks at his distorted reflection in the fridge and sighs. He can even see that he has dark bags under his eyes and looks far from happy.

“Just another quiet night” he lies and Niall snorts. 

“No sign of Zayn?” 

Liam whips his head around and Niall is smirking as he squirts a generous helping of mayonnaise onto his sandwich. Liam glares at him until Niall finishes his culinary act with a smack of the lips and turns to face him. 

“Liam, don’t look at me like that. We both know you’re dying to see him again” Niall pauses, stares at the monster sandwich in his hand and takes a happy bite of it. 

“I am _not_ ” 

Niall snorts again and Liam wonders why exactly he is friends with him. Niall chews some more before swallowing because he knows Liam hates people who talk with their mouth full.

“I know what he did was unforgiveable really but… you never really know his side of the story you know? And I also know that he got under your skin but…. in a good way? I hadn’t seen you smile like that in years Li” 

Liam watches Niall tuck into the food and wonders how he can come out with such things while preoccupied. He also feels a rush of different emotions at Niall’s words. 

He knows Zayn needed money, he told Liam himself. But he lied to him, gave him up to The Joker! Harry and Niall were _hurt_ in the process. It is unforgiveable. But yeah, he remembers how Zayn made him react. Almost like a teenage girl. 

“Goodnight” Niall says and he looks like he fighting back a large bark of laughter. 

Liam watches him leave and feels a rush of fondness for him. Even if he does hate him a little bit. 

“I love you Niall”

“Love you more” Niall calls back and makes a song and dance of walking up the stairs. 

+

Sometimes Liam is almost sure he _does_ see Zayn. Like in a shop one night, he caught the sight of a small lad in a leather jacket and his heart almost stopped. Or on one patrol he picked up on a scent that was just so _Zayn_. Smoke and fresh air mixed in one. Such a contradiction. 

He finds himself becoming obsessed with him. He wants to find him but has no address. In fact, Liam hardly knows anything about Zayn, not even his second name. He wonders how he let someone he barely even knew take over his life. 

He and Niall are on the hunt for one of the 22 escaped convicts, Rodger Marsden, when Louis calls. 

“I know you’re after Marsden but I had to tell you before I forgot. That man you wanted me to keep an eye out for? Yeah well I spotted him today when I was doing a press conference in City Hall” 

Liam’s grip on the steering wheel tightens and Niall looks at him with his head cocked to the side. He reminds Liam of a puppy he had growing up as a child. 

“Do you want to come by after you catch him to see the footage?” 

“Where did he go afterwards?”

Louis pauses on the other line and Liam curses inwardly. “Well, I don’t know to be honest with you” and Liam can hear the guilt in Louis’ voice. 

“That’s OK, I’ll come by later”

Liam hangs up and cuts off Niall’s curious onslaught of questions with a wave of his hand. 

“Focus” he snaps, pressing down on the pedals and speeding towards the hotel Marsden was spotted at. 

It doesn’t take long for Niall to scale the building and spot him fucking some young girl in a room on the 76th floor. It takes even shorter for Liam to burst into the room through the balcony and scare the shit out of both parties inside. 

“I’m innocent I swear” the escapee screeches as the girl hastily does up her jeans and covers herself. Marsden doesn’t even have the decency or awareness to do the same. 

“You’re coming with me, or you’re dying a painful death. It’s your choice” Liam growls and feels a stab of guilt for enjoying the flash of fear in Marsden’s eyes. 

“I’m not even crazy, I was sent to Arkham for no reason, and I had to get out!” he babbles as Niall throws his clothes at him with a look of disgust. 

“Shut up and get dressed” Liam snaps and scans the girl. She looks innocent enough, embarrassed, yet innocent. “Get out of here” he says to her and she doesn’t take a moment to think before bolting for the door. 

Liam paces the room while the man gets dressed and Liam knows he is stalling. It can’t take over a minute to do up a shirt. 

“Where is he?”

Marsden stops on the top button and Liam watches his brow furrow. He’s thinking, analysing, coming up with some excuse. 

“I… I don’t know”

“Don’t lie to me. I’m not in one of my forgiving moods today” Liam spins and is grateful for the way his cape follows him threateningly. Niall comes over and stands behind him, ready to do whatever Liam asks. 

“I’m going to ask you again where he is and what his plans are and if you do not answer me… you’ll pay” 

Marsden fumbles with the tie he had on and makes it too short on one side and gets the collar of his shirt stuck in it. He really is a bad liar.

“I said I don’t know”

Liam breathes out heavily and lashes out, hitting him right in the face. It might have been too hard because the sound of skin on bone echoes menacingly throughout the room. 

“Again. Where is he?”

Liam’s blood boils with anticipation and he nearly smiles when Marsden merely shrugs and winces, waiting for the blow. Liam grants him it, punching him hard in the cheekbone under his left eye. 

“There is nothing you can do to me that he won’t do in tenfold” Marsden says in a quiet voice, staring hard at the ground. 

“You sure about that?” Liam whispers and he can hear Niall’s intake of breath. Marsden nods once and that’s enough. Something snaps in Liam and he pounces. 

He pins Marsden to the ground and punches him hard. Over and over until everything becomes a blur. He is pretty sure he can hear Niall shouting something, he is completely sure he can hear Marsden’s cries and positive he can hear the bones and blood under his fist. 

He is panting by the time Niall manages to pull him off.

“What the fuck??” Niall gasps and they both look at the bloody mess that is now Marsden’s face. 

“Liam?!”

Liam looks away and down at his hand. It’s red and swollen and someone else’s blood decorates his skin. 

Niall is looking between Marsden and Liam in horror and panic. 

“It’s alright… I just… I-“

“You’re letting him get to you Liam. Him. Maybe more than one him. You need to stop, you need a break” Niall panics and crawls closer to Liam to look at him. His blue eyes are pleading and swimming with worry. 

“Yeah” is all Liam can say because he feels sick to his stomach. He has a strict rule to never seriously harm another person. And looking at Marsden, he is pretty sure he broke that rule. Significantly. 

“OK, I’ll sort this out, you go home and get some sleep” Niall sighs and gently rubs Liam’s shoulder. Liam wants to cry. Or scream. Or get sick. He needs to do something though and Niall’s offer has him bounding to the window in seconds. 

“I’m sorry Niall” Liam says in a broken voice, swallowing the lump in his throat and jumping from the balcony before he can hear Niall’s reply. 

He uses his wings to land less than gracefully on the roof of his car and breaks every speed limit on his way home. 

+

Liam doesn’t know how Niall sorted it out but he did. He knows this because he has several angry voicemails from a very concerned Louis, a sad face text from Harry and the news is full of it. 

He flicks through roughly eight stations and sees the same slogan everywhere; “Marsden, an Arkham escapee gets mugged”. 

Mugged. Liam snorts at the suggestion and turns the television off. He wants to bury his head under his pillow and call Alfred to come bring him pity food. 

But when Niall suggested he have a break he probably didn’t mean by wallowing in self-pity in his room all day. And Alfred doesn’t even put sugar in his tea anymore. 

So he gets himself up and has a shower. (He ignores the purple bruising on his knuckles and the blood that runs down the drain). He gets dressed, wishes Alfred a good morning and picks his most tame car. Granted it is a Jaguar but still, he can hardly anonymously drive around in anything else.

So he drives for hours to nowhere in particular. He drives to parts of the city he rarely gets to see anymore. Like the park where he first met Niall. They were both ten years old and Liam clumsily tripped over Niall’s football. It was friendship at first sight. 

He goes to the part of the city people consider the ‘rich side’. He rarely sees here because no crime is ever reported from here but he knows it’s probably the worst. You could almost smell the corruption in the air.

He takes time to walk through shopping districts, the streets that he never gets to see as Batman. It’s interesting. He learns that maybe he doesn’t know everything about Gotham after all. He wonders when the homeless shelter he used to volunteer in was replaced with an ugly shoe shop. And he pretends not to wonder about when Payne Enterprises stopped funding the children’s ward at the hospital.

He learns that these are all his people. That they are just like him. They feel, they love, they fight. Every day. They just don’t need a suit and mask to do it. 

He loves the city more than ever and knows he won’t (can’t) let The Joker ruin it. Not again. He won’t even let him get a taste. 

His steps become quicker as the passionate thoughts run through his head and he feels like running. He used to run when he was a kid. Before his father was killed, the two of them used to go for a morning run before Liam went to school. They never spoke but it was when Liam felt closest to his role model. 

So he runs. He runs and runs until it feels like his lungs might collapse. But it feels good and he takes every exhausted emotion and pushes it to his feet. He runs so hard that he feels the emotions leave him and get stomped into the ground, down deep into the core of the earth. He leaves them behind with each step. 

When he finally stops running, he bends over and clutches his side to catch his breath and takes a moment to check his surroundings. 

He has run until sunset anyway, that much is clear. From the way the golden light casts mesmerising shadows on the window panes on the flats surrounding him. He has run to the very edge of the city. It’s old and rundown. It used to thrive with activity but once Payne Enterprises rejuvenated the city, the suburbs emptied out. 

Liam glances all around him for any sign of life. Apart from a stray cat or elderly woman peeping out her window, there is no one. On a normal day, Liam would be on guard but right now, this is a perfect place. 

He promised he would be Liam for the day, not Batman, but he can’t help use his skills to quickly climb one of the buildings. He sits with his legs dangling over the edge of a tall flat and throws whatever pebbles his hands can find. 

He watches the sun finally dip into the horizon and smiles. 

+

Zayn leans against the bar and tries to convince the tall bald dude that was grabbing his arse only moments ago to buy him another shot. He tells him he needs it. That he will do anything. 

So then the man finally tells him to fuck off he does so. But not before skilfully nagging the wallet from the man’s jean pocket and his rather expensive watch clean off his wrist.   
There is no money in the wallet and he sells the watch for half of what it is probably worth. All he knows is that he needs to give his mother every cent. He should eat yes, he should sleep soundly yes, but his sister’s life is at risk. He would gladly risk his own just for her. 

He is always drunk now and he knows he is a bad person for spending _some_ of the money he earns- no, steals- on alcohol. But he needs it exactly for that reason. 

_He is a bad person_. 

He hears it day in, day out. From every asshole he meets on the street to himself. (To Liam.)

And that’s another reason why his only source of nutrition these days is the bitter sting of vodka. Because of Liam, Batman, Mr Payne of Payne Enterprises whatever the fuck people call him. He wants to forget the warmth of him. Every inch of him. From the crinkles at the side of his smiling eyes to the voice Zayn finds very hard not to hear just before he falls asleep. 

He wants to forget the look on Liam’s face when he found out Zayn was betraying him all along. It was brief because he wasn’t Liam then, he was Batman. But Zayn saw it. Saw the flash in those brown eyes. He drinks to forget. He can’t shake it. 

_He is a bad person_.

+

Liam sits until his arse feels numb. When he gets up he scolds himself on thinking he can scale down the building. He already used his Batman card for the day so he goes to look for a stairwell. 

He finds one and just as he goes to pull the door open, the handle pushes down. And he comes face to face with Zayn. 

They stare at each other for what feels like a lifetime. 

“What are you doing here?” Zayn finally breaks the silence and something in Liam stirs when he hears his voice. 

“Nothing” Liam shrugs and really? Is that all he can come up with. He’s been waiting for this day for weeks. 

“This is my place” Zayn says and his voice is full of challenge but his eyes are full of sadness. 

“I’m not Batman today” Liam offers weakly but steps out of Zayn’s way, ready to run down the stairs. 

Zayn doesn’t move and his eyes frantically dance over Liam’s face. 

“And I’m not Zayn the thief” he whispers. 

Liam feels a surge of something he can’t quite comprehend. He wants to kill Zayn (he always wants to kill Zayn) but his eyes make him stop. His eyes are what make him weak. Just like where the place in his suit just under the ribcage is the weakest. 

So he leans forward and does what he has been craving to do since they were in his garage and kisses him. He doesn’t kiss him gently though. He probably hurts him but he doesn’t care. He wants Zayn to feel the pain. 

He grabs Zayn’s shoulders and shoves him against the wall of the stairwell and kisses the gasps from his mouth. He feels Zayn’s hands scramble for something to hold onto at his back. He probably leaves bruises on Zayn’s shoulders and mouth. 

When he breaks away Zayn’s eyes are still closed and his lips are shiny and swollen. He leaves his eyes closed and Liam quickly gives him a once over. 

He looks famished. Skinnier than he ever was before. Worn down. Devastated. 

Liam hates how it makes his insides turn. 

He leans in again but this time cups Zayn’s jaw. He brushes a thumb over his swollen bottom lip and kisses it softly. 

“Liam I-“

“Sssh. We are strangers today. Just for today ok?” 

 

Zayn nods so earnestly that Liam thinks of Harry. He hates how endearing it is. He grabs Zayn’s hand in his own and pulls him down the stairs and neither of them speaks as Liam guides them all the way back to his car in the city. 

+

Liam doesn’t know where he is going (or what he is doing) but he gets to a fancy looking hotel that Liam is pretty sure he owns in less than ten minutes. He focuses on driving the whole time because if he focuses on Zayn in the passenger seat he might just change his mind. 

“Mr Payne” the receptionist squeaks when they both come striding through the door. 

“I need a room” Liam says in his most professional voice and his fists clench when he notices her curious eye flash towards Zayn. “No questions” he adds and ignores the rush of pride he feels when Zayn sniggers behind him. 

“Penthouse” she gushes while handing the key over and Liam fights a snigger of his own when Zayn winks lewdly at her before following Liam over to the elevator. 

The air is electric in the small metal box that plummets towards the top floor. They stand on either side of it and stare at the door. It is like they are both using non-existent powers to make it go faster. When the bell pings and the doors open, they both jump before laughing quietly and making their way into the room. 

Liam makes his way straight to the large fridge in the ridiculously decked out kitchen and opens one of the small bottles of whiskey. He watches Zayn traipse around the room with his mouth hanging open in shock. It is a rather beautiful room, Liam thinks, but Zayn- Zayn diminishes all of it. 

“Holy shit, this is-“ Zayn starts but Liam wipes his mouth on his hand before striding over and grabbing Zayn’s face in his hands. He kisses him roughly, not even easing into an open mouthed kiss and swallows every noise Zayn tries to make. 

They break for air and Liam uses the opportunity to rip his shirt over his head and makes quick work of Zayn’s. He stares at his bare chest for a moment, makes mental notes of his tattoos and dives back in. He kisses Zayn like he always wanted. Without holding back and with passion. Zayn kisses back just the same. 

“Bedroom” Liam breathes into his mouth while trailing his hands down to Zayn’s belt. 

“I... I don’t know where it is” Zayn gasps and giggles. Liam needs him not to be endearing like that. Not now. So he grunts and grips the back of Zayn’s thighs to hoist him up. Zayn squeaks and quickly wraps his arms around Liam’s neck. He is light and it doesn’t take long for Liam to find the room and fling Zayn down onto the large double bed. 

Liam kisses him again and moves onto his neck, sucks a little too hard and continues trailing down his body. He relishes in the soft moans that escape Zayn every time Liam lets his tongue slide over his skin. He takes his time unbuckling Zayn’s belt and sliding his trousers down off his hips. 

Zayn’s eyes are screwed shut when Liam sneaks a glance and he bites his lip hard when Liam’s hand brushes over his half-hard cock in his pants. 

“Do the rest” Liam huffs, standing up to take his own trousers off. Zayn nods and quickly shucks his too-skinny jeans off. Liam cocks an eyebrow at Zayn’s pants and fights the warm feeling in his belly when Zayn blushes. He takes his pants off and avoids Liam’s hungry gaze. 

“Fuck” Liam can’t help himself and nearly trips in his haste to get naked. 

Zayn moans loudly when Liam leans back down to kiss him. Their cocks slide together and it makes both their hips rock into each other. Zayn grabs at everything he can; Liam’s hair, Liam’s shoulders, Liam’s arms. 

Liam finally detaches himself and looks down between their bodies. He marvels at how well their bodies match each other. Zayn’s darker skin blending with Liam’s gentle tan, his tattooed hips rocking into Liam’s, his cock grinding against Liam’s. It makes his toes curl. 

“Lick” Liam holds his hand up to Zayn’s mouth and Zayn’s eyes flash with that mischief Liam has missed. 

He makes a show of sucking Liam’s fingers into his mouth, dragging his tongue across the heart line on his palm. 

“Done” Zayn grins and gives his lips a final lick before rutting up against Liam. 

Liam curses and captures Zayn’s mouth again. He reaches down between them and grabs both of them in his hand. Zayn did a good job, he thinks, as both their cocks slide together in his palm. 

“Holy shit” Zayn grunts into the crook of Liam’s neck. His breath comes up hot and heavy and that is enough to spur Liam on. 

He pumps his hand slow- teasing. He likes the way it makes Zayn’s head thrash from side to side and cant his hips up desperately, willing Liam to move faster. 

“Come on” he pants when Liam leaves his hand teasingly rubbing across their tips. 

Liam teases him some more until he himself can’t take it. He braces himself with one hand so tight on Zayn’s shoulder he hopes it will leave a bruise. He starts to move his hand faster, twisting it at just the right places to make both of them moan. 

Zayn looks up at him and his mouth is open slightly and his eyes are trained on Liam. His stare is intense and full of words and questions Liam cannot deal with right now. So he stares back and smirks at Zayn every time they both let out a noise. It works and soon Zayn’s eyes are glassing over and he is panting Liam’s name in between various swear words and random noises 

“I’m close” Liam says through gritted teeth and the noise of his hand on their cocks is loud and obscene. Zayn just nods his head and shuts his eyes. 

“K-kiss me” Zayn whispers and Liam wants to decline, he really does. But he wants to get off more; he wants Zayn to get off even more. So he leans down and brushes his lips lightly off Zayn’s. Before he can even deepen the kiss Zayn thrusts upward and comes hard over Liam’s hand and cock. He shouts right into Liam’s open mouth and squeezes his lower back. 

It’s enough for Liam and he bites down on Zayn’s collarbone as he too, comes. He rolls over to the side and flops down into the pillow. 

All that can be heard is their short breaths as they come down and the distant noises from the pavement below. 

When they are both relaxed Liam raises his head from the pillow. Zayn is on his side looking at him, his fingers dancing by Liam’s side like he wants to touch him but is afraid to.   
It’s pitch dark outside now and the glow from the city lights shines in the window. It casts an orange haze over Zayn and it makes him look beautiful. 

Zayn opens and shuts his mouth every now and again, like he keeps thinking of something to say but refuses to let it out. Liam waits. He doesn’t want to speak. He really doesn’t. But if Zayn does then he really can’t stop him. 

He scans his body and wants to ask what every tattoo means. He wants to ask Zayn a lot of things. Like what is wrong with his sister, what age he is, what his favourite colour is, why did he have to go and be another bad guy. But he can’t. He can’t _want_ to know someone who he should be throwing behind bars. Someone he should _hate_.

“Liam I… I don’t know what to say” Zayn says and it’s loud in the quiet room. Too loud. “I’m sorry though. I really am”. 

Liam looks at him again and his eyes are that sad brown he doesn’t like. It makes him want to reach out and take the small boy and wrap him in his arms forever. But he betrayed him. He helped The Joker. Harry and Niall were hurt because of him. 

Before he can speak a shadow from the sky looms into the room. Like a lighthouse light. But there are no lighthouses in Gotham. Liam squints at the wall opposite the window and his heart almost stops. 

It’s the Bat signal. 

Zayn follows his line of sight and gasps. 

Liam scrambles to the end of the bed and fishes in his trousers for his phone. He punches the mattress when his screen shows he has over 50 missed calls and 20 text messages. 

“I have to go” he grunts and quickly changes into his clothes. 

“Is everything ok?” 

Liam breathes out heavily as he finishes buttoning the top button on his shirt. He checks his last text message and it is from Louis. All it says is “ _WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU? GET TO MY OFFICE STRAIGHT AWAY YOU WANKER_ ”.

“No”

“Do you need me to help?”

Liam whips around and glares at Zayn. He is still naked but kneeling at the end of the bed now, watching Liam with a worried expression. Help. Something has happened. Something bad and he is stuck in this overly expensive room with someone who probably hates him. 

“No, I don’t need your fucking help! Do you think I am stupid??! In fact, this is probably all your fault, whatever is happening” he shouts and gestures out the window where the Bat signal is shining in the sky. Zayn flinches and leans down for his own clothes. 

“Why do bad things keep happening when you’re around me?! You’re nothing _but_ a bad thing”

“Liam, I swear this has nothing to do with me” Zayn says shakily and fumbles picking up his boxers. And Liam watches him angrily as he slips into his shoes. He’s angry and worried and Zayn looks weak. He wants to break him. 

“Yeah well I trusted you last time and look where that got me. You’re a snake and you’re good for nothing. Look at the state of you, go wash yourself and then get the fuck out of Gotham. Because if I ever see you around again, trust me Zayn, you’ll be sorry” he spits and he is shaking at his own words but he can’t back down now. 

Zayn won’t raise his head and he covers himself self-consciously. 

Liam moves towards the door and opens it. 

“So I take it you’re Batman again?” Zayn asks and his voice is like porcelain. 

Liam pauses with his hand on the door handle and hates how it shakes.

“I’m always fucking Batman” Liam sighs before stepping out and running towards the elevator. 

//

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the next chapter might be really short or else the last chapter. i'm still not sure yet but bear with me :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so this is the second last chapter and it is more of a filler than anything else but I hope you still enjoy it :)

Liam wouldn’t describe how he gets to police headquarters as driving; more like flying. He makes it there in three minutes when it would normally take ten. He almost panics showing up in his normal attire until he quickly remembers that Louis now knows he is Batman.

When he gets there Louis is sitting on the hood of a police car just outside the building with his feet dangling inches from the ground. He almost falls to the ground when he spots Liam and jumps off the car to run towards him. 

“Get back in the car” he snaps and jumps in the passenger’s seat. Liam only had one foot out of the car and quickly sits back down, restarting the engine. 

“Where to?” he asks, trying to maintain a calm persona compared to Louis who is practically vibrating with tension beside him. 

“Arkham” Louis says in a grim voice and that’s all it takes for Liam’s stomach to plummet. 

It’s a silent journey but Liam is waiting for Louis to burst, he is trembling from keeping whatever he has to say in. It’s less than a minute into the journey actually, when Louis decides to open his mouth. 

“Where have you been?”

“I needed a break”

Louis breathes out heavily. He squeezes his nose and cracks his knuckles and does everything to let Liam know he is not one bit happy. 

“You’re _Batman_ , not a fucking high school teacher, you can’t just take breaks” 

Liam speeds through a red light and doesn’t even care if Louis cares. 

“I had to, I did something terrible” he admits in a quiet voice and feels Louis’ sharp eyes on him. 

“Something terrible? Jesus Liam, something terrible would be Harry or Niall getting hurt! By the way, they haven’t in case you cared to ask”

“I didn’t need to; you would have been screaming bloody murder if they had” Liam retaliates quickly, not liking what Louis was insinuating. Louis pauses, realises Liam is right and remains quiet for another few seconds. 

“I do good _and_ terrible things every day Liam. For Gotham. I’m a man of power for a reason. I love this city, I don’t know why but I do. I feel like I was born to protect and I went for the right kind of job to do so,” he says and this time he looks out the window and his tone is much more gentle than it was before, “Sound familiar?”

He looks back at Liam again with a faint smile and that stirs something in Liam. He doesn’t know Louis’ motivation but ever since his parents were murdered, Liam knew he was born to protect this city. He and Louis are so similar sometimes that it astonishes him. The only difference in what they do is Louis thrives in the spotlight and Liam prefers the anonymity. 

“I had to take a break Louis, and I’m sorry something had to happen while I was away. It was only going to be for one day” Liam sighs and shakes his head to get rid of all the mental images of Zayn that pop into his head. 

Louis is watching him again with that calculating gaze that unnerves Liam. It probably unnerves anyone who comes under it really. When Louis looks at you in that… Louis-ish way it is like he is seeing through your whole body; can see every thought in your head, every feeling in your heart. Louis’ eyes were made specifically for making even the strongest people vulnerable to him. 

“Who is he?” he asks in a short tone like he is pretending not to care. And really they shouldn’t discuss this when what seems to be a crisis is on their hands. 

“What?” Liam lies and his eyes narrow as they near Arkham. He was expecting ash, smoke, flames, projectile weapons, _something_ to be hovering over the area but he sees nothing. So far. 

“Do not lie to me Liam, I’ve been trained to spot liar” and Liam levels him with his deepest look of contempt “ok so you’ve managed to lie about being fucking Batman all these years but I am good at spotting a fib”. 

“He is nobody and the reason I probably missed saving a lot of people” Liam sighs and waves his hands towards the turn off for Arkham. 

“Nobody is hurt, just yet. But ok, we can talk about this later. Now drive”.

+

Zayn remains kneeling on the bed for longer than he cares to keep track of. He has squeezed the shirt in his hand so tight that he knows it will be creased when he actually manages to put it on. 

Everything Liam said to him echoes in his head and makes him feel sick to his stomach. 

_”I’m always fucking Batman”_.

He is Batman, of course. He always will be. But Zayn had clung to this false hope that maybe, just maybe, Liam would have forgiven him. Given him another chance. 

He snorts at himself and it is hauntingly loud in the empty room. 

He has never been given a second chance in his life. No matter where he was, he would fuck up somehow and be turned away without a second glance. But he honestly thought Liam was different. Ok, yeah he is Batman, The Dark Knight, the scary masked vigilante that keeps Gotham safe. But Liam is just another human underneath it all. And he had eyes that Zayn thought were the most gentle he had ever seen. 

He was foolish to think that Liam was different. 

He was even more foolish for betraying him in the first place. Granted he didn’t know who Liam was or what he was like when The Joker offered him a ridiculous amount of money to distract Batman. But Zayn could have stopped the moment he knew he was falling for Liam.

That moment was in Liam’s house when he had been so awkward looking in his own home but still agreed to dance with Zayn. A complete stranger. But that’s just who Liam. He had been so confused with Zayn’s sharp words and wit. His stupid thick eyebrows had creased together when Zayn had been cheeky to him and Zayn’s stomach and heart had clenched. 

But he _had_ to keep going. No matter how much he wanted to see Liam’s smile every day. He was thinking about the money. His sister. She comes before anything in Zayn’s world and if he has to break his own heart in the process of saving her life he will gladly do it. 

He wants Liam to understand that. He wants Liam to understand _him_. And maybe it’s not a second chance he needs but even a conversation- just a simple conversation. And if Liam still wants him gone by the end of it then so be it. 

He sighs and looks down at himself, sticky and disgusting. 

_”Look at the state of you”_.

He doubts he will ever see Liam again. 

_”You’re nothing but a bad thing”_.

He looks out the window where the Bat-signal is flashing starkly against the black night. He wipes away the tear that trickles down his cheek and puts his clothes back on. 

Before leaving the penthouse, he casts one more glance around the room. It’s full of precious items that Zayn would normally be quick to steal and sell off. This time he just sighs, lets his sad breath fill the air of the room and enters the elevator without looking back.

+

Arkham is surrounded by a thick man-made metal fence when Liam pulls up at the scene. Niall is already there, staring at the massive barrier as if he is trying to make it fall down using just his mind.

“What the hell?” Liam breathes out and Louis hums sassily. In the way only Louis can. 

He hops out of the car (after changing into his Batman suit) and walks up beside Niall. Louis stays by the car with his phone in hand, checking it every few seconds. Probably making sure Gotham (Harry) is safe.

“Enjoy your break?” Niall mutters with a harsh laugh. 

“It was splendid” Liam replies with a laugh of his own and Niall eyes him carefully. 

“You saw him didn’t you?”

Liam ignores him and turns to one of the cops patrolling the gate. He eyes Liam warily; Gotham City Police absolutely hate Batman. The only reason he isn’t behind bars himself is because of the power of Louis. And Louis had always had a soft spot for Batman.

“Can you tell us exactly what is happening here?” Liam asks keeping his sight on the gate but his other senses everywhere else. 

“We’re still not sure. This gate… we don’t really know when it was built but we only noticed it today. And we know there is something going on in there because we can’t get through to any of the workers inside the building” the officer tells him. 

Liam nods his head gratefully and knows the officer is only telling him this because Louis is eyeing them from the car. 

“What do you think?” Liam asks Niall who he knows was listening. 

“He’s in there” Niall nods and his eyes are stone cold. Like he has been waiting for this and is ready for whatever happens. Unlike all the other times before. Liam doesn’t like it. He never wanted Niall to get used to this. 

Liam agrees because he can just feel it in the atmosphere. The air is electric. Not like the way it is between him and… no, he cannot think about _him_ right now. But the way it is just before something bad happens, like a thunderstorm. 

They hear Louis approach them before he even opens his mouth. 

“Well” his tone is scary and although he didn’t word it like a question, he is demanding an answer. 

“We think The Joker is in there” Liam tells him and Louis sucks in a breath. 

“You think, or you know?” 

Liam grits his teeth. To know Louis Tomlinson is to know patience. 

“I think” 

“Right”

Before anything more can be said, the bright searchlight in the guard’s tower of Arkham is switched on. All eyes turn towards it and it starts spinning wildly around the whole area. It stops finally aimed high in the sky. It reaches just under the Bat-signal which has yet to be turned off. 

“Has Batman come out to play?” comes the familiar screech of The Joker from somewhere within the gate. 

Liam steps up so he is inches away from the metal mesh. He reaches out and tries bending the wires to test its strength. He grumbles when he gate refuses to bend and proves itself to be as strong as it looks. 

Liam squints and it doesn’t take him long to spot the stark pale face with the dark eyes and red scars. The Joker is sitting on the doorstep to the main door of Arkham. He has a megaphone in hand and his two henchmen either side of him. 

“Can you hear me fellows or shall I need this?” he waves the megaphone above his head and Liam nods sharply. He’d rather not hear that voice any louder than it already is.

The Joker stands up and walks closer towards the gate. He has a bounce in his step, as always, but the way he rubs his hands together and cackles even louder than usual has Liam on the edge of his nerves. 

“Hello again boys” he grins at Liam and Niall through the gate.

“Ah- Commissioner, how good of you to join us” he adds when Louis moves up to stand on Liam’s other side. “How is that curly headed lad of yours, still crying himself to sleep?”  
Liam normally wouldn’t have to make sure Louis ignored him- he’s been dealing with this kind of stuff for years. But this time Louis takes a step forward and Liam spots the way his eyes are narrow and cold. 

“How-“

“How did I know?? Oh honey, do you honestly think I would let him sleep alone when you’re so busy at work?” The Joker bats his eyelashes. 

Louis’ fists clench and Liam physically has to stop him from lashing out. He throws his arm out and grabs Louis’ arm- hard. Louis hisses and turns on Liam but Liam squeezes his arm more gently this time to remind him that he is Gotham’s Louis tonight and not Harry’s Louis. 

“You guys are so cute” The Joker coos.

“Right what is going on here?” Niall snaps and The Joker turns to him with a grim look on his face. 

“The grown-ups are talking, don’t be so cheeky” he sneers and Niall bristles at the condescension. 

“This-“ The Joker throws his arms behind him towards Arkham “-is where normal people come to go crrrrazy” he laughs up towards the sky and both signals floating there reflect dangerously in his pupils. 

“Madness is the emergency exit. You can just close the door on all those dreadful things that happened. You can lock them away... forever. This is why we madmen choose to come here”

“Nobody chose to go there” Louis snorts and The Joker eyes him gravely. 

“Madness choses you” he looks away from Louis again and back towards Arkham. “Crazy people don't think they're crazy. See, they think they're getting saner.”

“Again, what is going on here?” Niall interrupts him and Liam almost feels frightened for Niall. Interrupting The Joker is a crazy decision. 

“You’re a little impatient bird aren’t you Robin? Goodness gracious. But ok I might as well get to the point if we are all going to be boring” He sighs dramatically. 

He stoops down low and rifles through a small bag one of his henchmen hand him. He takes his time too, making a show of it as usual. He finally takes out a small vial of a green looking liquid. 

“Know that this is?” he holds the vial up closer to the gate and the three of them glance at it cautiously. 

“No” 

The Joker cackles at that. He loves having a story to tell. 

“This, my friends is what I like to call Joker Juice. Instead of Jesus Juice? Get it?” he cackles again and Liam rolls his eyes with disgust. 

“And what this little vial of liquid is capable of doing would send a shiver down your little spines.” He shivers for emphasis, “Joker Juice, my dear friends, can paralyse you within seconds. Not just your average paralysis though. At first you feel a little tingle in your veins, kinda like your blood is itchy. Then your veins start to swell. It’s quite dreadful. The little buggers swell so much that they eventually kill all the nerves in your body leaving you feeling like a floppy bag of… floppiness” he ends it with a kiss to the vial like it is his child. 

“And I have emptied a whole vat into a tank in the water tower. With just a click of a button, I can release it into Gotham’s water supply and paralyse the whole city. In mere seconds” he says with a shriek of glee and wraps his arms around himself. 

Liam’s stomach drops and takes seconds to evaluate whether the Joker is actually joking or not. Judging by the way he is hugging himself and jumping up and down on the spot he guesses not. So he waits for the offer or catch that is bound to come. 

“You Batty, have the power to stop this though” he says with a joyful look in his eye. 

“Naturally” Liam retorts and fights the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. 

“Come to Arkham tomorrow night. Throw the towel, or should I say cape, in. Give up your identity as a flying rat and leave Gotham”

His words hang like a heavy weight in the air and Niall and Louis both glance at him. 

“If you do, I’ll take the tank out of the water tower and keep the lovely people of Gotham safe from becoming like this guy” he snaps his fingers and one of the henchmen retreat to inside the door of Arkham. Moments later he returns dragging a heavy looking body after him. 

The man he drags over looks swollen. His whole skin looks ready to burst and his eyes are darting around frantically. He looks like he is trying to move but can’t. He looks… _terrifying._

Liam can’t shake the image of the people of Gotham suffering the same fate. Niall, Louis, Harry. (Zayn)

He cannot let that happen.

“How do I know you’ll take the tank out?” he asks and feels Niall’s round eyes on him. 

“A Joker never breaks his promise unless his fingers are crossed behind his back” The Joker sings with his arms raised high in the air and not a single finger crossed. 

“Fine. I’ll meet you tomorrow night. Just me, I’ll do everything you asked” Liam says firmly and ignores Niall’s hiss and Louis’ gape. 

“SPLENDID!” The Joker claps his hands together and dances in a circle. “See you tomorrow Batty, I can’t wait” he says and dances all the way back inside the doors. A few seconds later troops of armed inmates come marching out to stand guard at the gate. 

“What the fuck are you doing?” Louis snaps when Liam turns away from the gate and towards the Batmobile. 

“I’ve always been one step behind him. But not now” Liam turns to them with a grin. 

Niall, whose eyes were dangerously close to filling with tears, looks at him in confusion.

“I’ve got a plan” Liam announces in a quiet voice and both Louis and Niall straighten up in attention. 

“Get in” Liam says, already halfway in the car and his hands shake on the steering wheel as he drives them towards his home. 

//


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the final chapter! Sorry for the wait but this is much longer than the rest so hopefully that makes up for it!
> 
> I want to thank Alice for listening to me moan about this and for sharing ideas with me and Jessi for threatening my life until I finished it.  
> And thanks to anyone who read and commented on it, I hope you enjoy it :)

“Arkham is surrounded by armed inmates. Who are insane, just in case you forgot!”

Liam is watching Louis from the armchair with a heavy feeling of regret in his stomach. He is pouring over the blueprints to the Asylum with Harry by his side. Meanwhile Niall is sprawled out on the sofa half asleep while Liam fights to keep his eyes open. 

“Louis, we’ve gone over everything, relax for a few minutes will you?”

Louis nearly rips the paper in half and glares at Liam. 

“A few minutes?? Your life is at stake here. Oh wait, hang on, everyone in Gotham’s life is at fucking stake, I’m sorry if I can’t spare a few minutes” Louis practically screams and Liam fights the urge to blame Harry for all of this. 

Harry stands behind Louis watching him with careful green eyes and a scared quiver to his lips. They all know that Harry could simply pinch Louis’ side and he would be calm and pliant in a matter of moments. But instead he hovers around him like Louis is a hornet’s nest. 

“I’m hungry” Niall announces and Louis rounds on him. Before he can upset Niall though, Louis’ phone buzzes loudly on the table top. He roots around manically, firing papers that he’ll look for later on out of his way until he locates the phone.

He doesn’t even get a word in, just widens his eyes and hums curtly before hanging up. 

“I have to go” 

“Where?” Harry asks and his hand _nearly_ brushes off Louis’. He is worried about him, almost as much as Louis is about Harry. Liam can tell by the way they circle each other without realising. Like magnets. 

“Police want to surround the water tower” Louis tells him in a soft tone but turns back to Liam and Niall with fire in his eyes. Liam is jealous of Harry in that moment and braces himself. 

“I’ll probably be gone for a while, your plan better start to _not_ suck by the time I get back!” he points at Liam and then slaps Niall’s legs causing him to jump, “and no more sleeping!”

He finishes flurrying around the room in his usual Louis-fashion and kisses Harry on the forehead before storming out of the room. Harry looks shocked at the sentiment and spends a few seconds rubbing the patch on his forehead with a look of awe on his face. It makes Liam feel a bit queasy. 

“Whenever you’re ready Harry” Liam coughs as he gathers around the map. Harry’s cheeks put Niall’s to shame and he mumbles around apologies before gazing down at the paper. 

“Ok so tell me again what you plan to do?” Niall asks and Liam and Harry gape at him. He is actually being serious, judging by the way his nose scrunches and he scratches at _that patch_ in his hair that never stays down. 

“You’re the worst sidekick ever” Liam groans and calls for Alfred to bring yet another batch of tea. Niall just shrugs and grins because he knows perfectly well that Liam wouldn’t change him for the world. 

+

Louis turns the radio up on full blast and ignores the various voices coming over the police radio. He prefers to listen to the top 40 when he is nervous. And he _hates_ that he is nervous. He doesn’t usually get nervous. But he is now. 

He likes to pretend it’s not because the ones he cares about are in danger. He can’t shake the fear of something happening to Harry again. Or Niall. He knows Liam can take care of himself, he is Batman after all, but he loves him. He loves them all. 

He wonders if he would get in trouble for having a drink or two before arriving to the water tower but decides against it when he sees the flashing lights in the sky near the tower in question. He presses down on the gas with a nervous twitch and speeds up. 

When he pulls up he almost breaks his door in his haste to get out of the car. 

The place is in chaos. 

The water tower looks like it is covered in black cracks from afar but when Louis strains his eyes, the black cracks are in fact ropes. He follows the ropes to the very top of the tower but sees nothing up there. That he knows of. 

On the ground surrounding the tower, police are locked in combat with what appears to be Arkham escapees. His good friend, Officer Hal Green, rushes over to Louis as soon as he appears. 

“What the fuck is going on here?” Louis pants as he stares at the chaos. 

He inspects Hal briefly and grimaces at the large cut that decorates the older man’s face. He looks a little worse for wear. 

“We tried to stop them getting into the tower, they’ve been going in and out all day but they’re putting up quite the fight. We are pretty sure the crate is already in place” Hal tells him and squeezes Louis’ shoulder. 

Louis decides that now is the time for his megaphone. He retreats back to his car and searches the boot until he finds the bright red object. He rarely uses it; he is loud enough on his own. But the roaring and what sounds sickenglinly like gunfire would definitely drown him out this time. 

He holds it up to his mouth and realises that even now, it won’t work. So he takes out the whistle he never thought he would have to use and blows sharply on the cool metal. The crowd fall silent and Louis smiles triumphantly. 

“Alright listen up” he says into the megaphone and walks closer towards the tower. 

Escapees and police alike stop whatever they are doing and watch Louis. He likes the hold he has over them, simply because he is holding a stupid megaphone in his hand. He was always the shortest in the force but what he lacks in height, he makes up for in power. 

He takes a moment to assess the situation. The police are not out-numbered, but they are certainly put to shame in the weapons department. He cautiously eyes the obviously illegal firearms some of the escapees have in their hands.

“You all have one minute to lay down your arms” he announces into the megaphone. Some of the escapees snort at him, while other start to lower their weapons in fear. 

“OR WHAT?” comes a voice from somewhere to the left of the base of the tower. 

Louis pauses for a moment. 

“Don’t make me repeat myself” he decides to say instead of a potentially empty threat. Nothing is worse than when it is obvious you’re lying. 

There is a shift in the atmosphere and Louis doesn’t like it. He keeps his eyes and ear open, waiting for something to go wrong. 

What Louis assumes is the leader of the group steps forward. He is a brute of man; much taller and broader than Louis. If Louis wasn’t the Commissioner he wouldn’t even look twice at the man but now he puffs out his chest and stands his ground. Looks the man right in the eye. 

“The Joker and Batman made a deal, you bastards are not meant to interfere” he growls in Louis’ face and Louis ignores the other convicts who start to gather behind the man. 

“Well I’m sorry but I don’t listen to the rules of a psychopath and a vigilante” Louis snorts and the man’s eyebrow visibly twitches. 

“Well right now, it looks like we are in the better position here so maybe you should listen this time” the man says and the other men behind him nod their heads vigorously. 

Louis knows he is in trouble. 

“I need you all to back away from the tower and lay down your weapons” he says and although internally he knows that he is without doubt in the weaker position, he has to put up a brave front. 

“I believe our minute is up” the man smirks and watches Louis, waiting for his next move. 

Louis sighs and a million thoughts run through his head at once. His men watch him from the sidelines, waiting for him to tell him what to do. So much responsibility on the shoulders of such a small man. 

So Louis takes his gun out of his holster and aims it between the man’s eyes. 

“Move your scum out of here” he hisses and holds the man’s eye contact. His eyes are a cold blue with barely any life in them. It’s a stark contrast to Louis’ warm blue eyes, fired up with life and challenge. 

The man steps closer so that the butt of Louis’ gun is bound to leave a small round mark in between his eyebrows. It makes Louis want to take a step back but he doesn’t; he holds his ground. 

A loud bang echoes in the air and for a moment Louis continues staring at the beast in front of him. Then he feels the sharp pain in his rib and it slowly start to spread around his whole chest. 

The rest happens in a blur.

Shouting. His name they’re shouting he thinks. Rushing. Everything is rushing in a haze in his mind. Falling. He falls to the ground in a heap and remembers shouting something out before the pain becomes too unbearable and he slips into unconsciousness. 

+

Liam is just at his wits end when Niall stares at him in confusion. 

“So… you want us to just, dive in there? That’s what you’re telling me?” 

“Yes Niall. He won’t be expecting us”

Niall stares at him some more and then shrugs. “You’re the boss” he says and shrugs again before sitting back down on the sofa. “It’s a bit stupid, but you’re the boss”.

Liam doesn’t get Niall sometimes, he really doesn’t. He puts so much fate in everyone. Trusts them with his life as if it is nothing special. 

“Thanks?” he says instead of flinging himself at the boy and smothering him with affection. 

Harry is eying the TV nervously and playing around with the Bat-Diluminator. The lights turn on and off every ten seconds. 

“Harry, you’ll wear the batteries out” Liam says and tries to gently pry it from his grasp. 

“Nonsense, as if one of my works would expire” Harry snorts without looking at Liam. 

Liam sighs and moves over to the television to switch it on. Both Niall and Harry perk up and he knows he has made the right decision.

“You want the news right?” Liam asks Harry who nods his head gratefully and Liam watches some of the tension leave his shoulders. 

Liam flicks to the news channel and walks into the kitchen to help Alfred clear up. 

He is lost in thought, scrubbing at the already clean counter and refuses to think about Zayn. Which is easier said than done. He needs something to take his mind off of him completely. He thought this whole ordeal was enough to do it but it’s clearly not. 

_ZaynZaynZayn_.

“Liam”

Zayn’s eyes flash into Liam’s mind. The way they had darkened when Liam had kissed his skin gently; the way they flooded with grief when Liam had torn him down. 

“Liam!!”

The way Zayn had clung to Liam as they both came together but the way he cowered away when Liam had turned on him. 

“For fuck sake” Niall shouts and storms into the kitchen. Liam snaps out of it the moment he sees the look on Niall’s face. 

He follows Niall into the sitting room where Harry is staring at the television screen in horror. Liam is about to ask what is going on when the headline flashes up on screen. 

“ _Breaking News; Commissioner Louis Tomlinson has just been shot at Gotham City’s water tower_ ”

+

“Pull over” Niall urges from the back seat where he has Harry’s head cradled in his lap.

“No time” Liam replies as he speeds through lines of on-coming traffic. 

“He’s going to get sick Liam, pull over he needs air” Niall snaps in a panicked strangle. 

Liam swerves onto the path and slams on the brakes. He leaves the engine running while Harry dives out of the backseat. 

Niall follows him and holds Harry’s hair while he vomits over the path. He is gasping for air and Liam’s fingers are drumming irregularly against the wheel. 

“Ok come on guys! I don’t care if you get sick in the car Harry we have to go!” Liam shouts out and Niall says something to Harry while rubbing circles on his back. 

After another few gulps for air Harry manages to stand and Niall helps him back into the car. Liam avoids looking at either of them in the rear view mirror because he knows the sight while break his heart. The noises Harry is making is enough to cause a tight ball of emotion to rise in his throat. He doesn’t need to see their crumbled expressions on top of it.

When they get to the water tower, the place is in utter pandemonium. It’s hard to see much in the dark beyond the red and blue flashing lights of the various emergency service vehicles. But it is obvious even without sight that the place is a scene of utter violence. Men are shouting and fists and feet are connecting with skin. 

Some of the ambulance and police cars have yet to turn off their sirens and that sound mixed in with the background noise nearly makes Liam lose the plot. He reaches for the bat stars in his belt and throws them at each siren in succession. Soon the place is in utter silence as each pair of eyes train on Batman. 

“Where is he Li?” Harry whimpers from behind him and Liam looks around helplessly until he spots a team of paramedics hunched over the small frame of a person. 

Liam rushes over but Harry overtakes him and gets there first. He falls to Louis’ side and before Liam can even reach them he knows it’s bad. Harry wails in anguish and the sound shoots right through Liam and hits him in the stomach. 

Niall is next to reach them and he covers his face with his hands before shooting Liam a look that is impossible to decipher. 

“What happened?” Liam asks the nearest police officer, not wanting to join his friends just yet. He wants to remain as Batman right now and if he sees what he fears the most, he doesn’t know if he will be able to keep up the bravado. 

“The Commissioner arrived and tried to get the convicts out of here but they were having none of it. The main guy- he stood up to Commissioner Tomlinson and neither of them would back down. But that guy… that guy had a gun and Louis-“ the officer stops talking and clears his throat. 

“I got it” Liam says and the man looks grateful for the break. He offers the group of people surrounding Louis a sympathetic look and runs off to help his colleagues. 

Liam blocks out the scene behind him and surveys the area. 

“Any idea where the shooter is?” Liam asks the paramedic who is prepping the ambulance. 

“Last I heard a couple of police were chasing him around the back of the tower”.

Liam squints in that direction but cannot see anything beyond the few people scattered at the base of the water tower. It’s hard to focus on anything when Harry is too quiet and Niall is starting to sob and his best friend is potentially lying dead on the ground mere inches from him. 

So he turns around and finally allows himself to look. 

Louis is lying on the ground and if Liam wanted to play make believe, he would say Louis almost looks like he in a peaceful slumber. His eyes are closed and he is completely still. But this is real. And Louis’ skin is porcelain white compared to his natural glow. His arm is bent in a weird position and there is a pool of blood surrounding him. 

One paramedic is trying to work on him while Harry kneels in an almost catonic state at his side. 

“Will he be alright?” Liam whispers and the paramedic doesn’t even hear him. He takes a second to remind himself that he is Batman and clears his throat. 

“What’s the damage” he asks carelessly and beside him Niall flinches at the cold words. 

The paramedic helping Louis shoots Liam a glare while the other one smiles sadly as she takes out a stretcher. 

“A bullet to the ribs, quite near the heart. We won’t know for sure what the overall damage is until we get him to hospital. But so far we know he has lost a lot of blood and broken several bones in his body from the close point range. It’s not looking good I’m afraid”

“Will he survive?” Niall asks, not even bothering to cover up his voice and how it quivers. 

“I would like to say yes, he is a great man Commissioner Tomlinson. But as I said; it is not looking good”

Harry cracks. He bends right over Louis’ body like a weak shield and he lets out a loud cry that makes Liam’s jaw clench. He starts pawing at Louis and his sobs become even more erratic; his whole body racks with the strength of it and it makes Louis’ shake in a way that reminds Liam of a ragdoll. Liam catches words between the sobs like _Louis no, I love you, don’t leave me, we have so much more to do_. It’s unbearable. 

The paramedics watch sadly and start to attempt to move Louis onto the stretcher without getting in Harry’s way. 

“Harry come on” Niall eventually starts to tug at Harry’s arm but Harry shakes him off and continues scrambling at any part of Louis he can get his hands on. 

“Sir, please, we need to get him into the ambulance. We need to be quick” the paramedic says gently and Niall continues tugging at Harry until he finally lets go of Louis. 

When they lift the stretcher into the ambulance and close the doors, Harry becomes almost manic. He starts trying to get into the back of the ambulance, shouting Louis’ name and lashing out when Liam and Niall try to pull him back. 

Liam is fighting back tears of his own and Niall is dangerously close to breaking point by the time they finally restrain Harry and promise him they’ll follow the ambulance. 

Liam quickly calculates the situation around the tower and when he feels comfortable that the police can handle the escapees on their own he turns back to Harry and Niall. 

“I’m going to drive you both to the hospital and then I’m going to find the bastard who shot him ok?” he says and Niall nods his head while wiping his eyes. 

He leads the way to the car and fights the wave of nausea that hits him when he walks past the pool of blood Louis had been lying in. 

It’s silent in the car the whole way bar the odd sniffle coming from Niall. Harry stares blankly out the window and rests his head against it. It is as if every second of Louis’ life is weighing down on them and it only makes Liam drive faster. 

Niall tries to protest when Liam drops them off, something about how he wants to be a good sidekick and help. Liam tells him to go with Harry to be with Louis and gives both of them a hug, forgetting about his Batman exterior.

When he pulls away from Harry he squeezes him gently and fails to say something that could possibly make him feel better. 

Harry looks at him with a sad smile and says “I don’t know how to be without him”, his voice cracking on the end. 

And Liam can’t help but agree as he gets back in the car. 

+

As he drives through the now pitch black streets of Gotham he realises that in the bedlam, he’d pushed all thoughts of The Joker aside. 

His family and friends are always his number one priority but as he watches the clock change to 3am he feels a heavy sense of dread wash over him. He has no plan really. His plan _was_ to storm Arkham, break his promise and catch The Joker off guard. But Louis didn’t like that plan and Liam was beginning to doubt it all. 

Without Commissioner Tomlinson on board Liam has no idea how he is going to do this alone.

He thinks about the offer. Leaving Batman and Gotham behind and starting somewhere new. He thinks about waving goodbye to Niall and Alfred. The image alone has him swallowing a lump in his throat. To let the whole world see him for who he truly is. 

He wonders what Zayn would think. Would he think Liam was a coward. A hero? 

He puts more pressure on the car’s accelerator as he thinks about Zayn. He almost wishes he hadn’t told him to leave Gotham. Hadn’t blamed him for all of this. It was unfair and now he’s gone. 

He doesn’t think he will ever forget the look on Zayn’s face in the hotel. It was a look of complete devastation. He wishes he could take it all back and make Zayn smile again. Make him say Liam’s name in the way he had on the sheets of the hotel bed. 

In his daydream he almost drives past the fight. He spots it in his rear view mirror in time and pulls the car over. It sparked his interest because of the uniform straight away. The Arkham clothing is not something one can miss. 

It is hard to see in the dark but it looks like the convict is quickly becoming the champion in this fight. He throws punches that knock the other man down each time and leave a loud echo of skin on bone in the alleyway. The other man is tiny and silhouetted in the dark and Liam wants him to just give up. But he gets up every time and puts up a worthy fight. 

Liam _knows_ this is the man who shot Louis. He knows judging by his haste to get away from this place as fast as possible. His growls of frustration each time the shorter man blocks his way. He can almost smell the guilt off him. 

He thinks of the last time he saw Louis. Lying cold and empty looking on the ground. The total opposite to the Louis he is used to. He can’t help but think that that might be the last image he will have of his best friend.

Liam surges forward and catches the man’s fist before it connects with the others face once more. He doesn’t pay any attention to the other man, he just pushes him behind Liam’s back. The Arkham man stares at Liam, eyes scanning Liam’s Batman suit with fear. 

“Don’t hurt me” he whimpers and Liam snarls in anger. He knees the man between the legs to bring him crashing to the ground. When he is curled in on himself Liam thinks about Louis falling to the ground in the same way, maybe crying out with pain. 

Liam punches and kicks and lashes out until everything starts to become a blur. Just like that time in the hotel with Marsden. He doesn’t care, he blacks out and all he can hear is Louis’ screaming in his head. 

It’s not until he hears an almost unfamiliar voice shouting his name and a pair of familiar arms pulling him back.

The voice is unfamiliar because Liam has trained himself to forget it. The arms are familiar because Liam is sensitive to touch. He memorises peoples way of touching almost straight away. And how could he forget the feeling of those small arms wrapped tightly around him. 

He almost snaps his neck with the speed he whips his head around and sure enough there stands Zayn. 

He stands up quickly, hellbent on destruction and raises his fists, ready to lash out at Zayn if he is here to fight Liam. Zayn backs against the wall and squeezes his eyes shut, ready for the punches Liam is geared up to give. 

Something about that stops Liam in his tracks. He snaps out of his haze and quickly scans Zayn’s trembling body. He is covered in cuts and bruises and looks like he is standing on his last legs. He was the one fighting Louis’ shooter. Who stopped him from getting away.

“What are you doing here?” Liam asks in a hoarse voice and eyes Zayn’s swollen left eye apprehensively. 

“I know you told me to leave but..” Zayn starts and his voice is shaking with fear and Liam _hates_ that he caused that. “I couldn’t”.

“Why not?” Liam asks and puts a foot on the convict lying on the ground to keep him down.

Zayn shrugs and winces in pain at the small movement. 

Liam is lost for words. Zayn is standing here in Gotham, fighting the man he is trying to find. It seems like too much of a coincidence. Liam takes a step towards him and Zayn physically flinches. 

“I’m not going to hurt you” he says and takes in each of Zayn’s bruises and wishes them upon himself. 

Before Liam can do anything stupid like reach out and touch Zayn like he yearns to, his phone rings and snaps him out of it. 

Niall’s name comes up and he spares the convict a glance before answering. 

“You might want to get down here” Niall says and his voice is rough. “They just had to use the defibrillators on him”

“Is he alive?” Liam asks and fights away the images that spring to mind at Niall’s words. 

“Barely” Niall answers honestly. 

“I got him” 

Niall breathes heavily through his nose and Liam can almost see him clench his fists. 

“Bring him and leave him in the car, I’ll deal with him” Niall’s tone scares Liam. It is rare when it is so lacking in the usual Niall cheer. Now it is cold and calculating. 

Liam hangs up without another word and picks up the now unconscious man under his feet. 

“Is Louis ok?” Zayn asks watching with an almost panicked expression as Liam stats to rush. 

Without sparing time to consider how Zayn could possibly know about Louis, Liam tells him to get in the car and throws the convict in the back seat. 

“How did you know about Louis?” Liam asks once he is driving and focusing on the road and not Zayn’s battered face. 

“I was there” Zayn admits quietly and Liam almost slams on the brakes. 

Of course he was. Liam’s blood begins to boil. Why is he always fucking _there_. He felt guilty for blaming Zayn for everything before but if he has anything to do with this, Liam will gladly kill him.

“You think I was part of it don’t you” Zayn says in a monotone voice because it was not a question but a statement.

“I heard about everything that happened with The Joker so I went to the water tower to check what was happening, see if I could help, hard as you might find that to believe. I was there when Louis arrived and saw that asshole shoot him. I ran after the shooter to help catch him for you” Zayn tells Liam all while looking out the window. 

The confession is an honest one, Liam can tell. 

“Why?” Liam asks quietly. 

Zayn pauses for a moment and Liam can feel his eyes are now trained on Liam. He doesn’t turn to look at Zayn but can feel the tension high in the air. 

“Why did I stay? I don’t know. When you told me to get out of Gotham I really wanted to. Why bother staying around for someone who is just the same as everyone else. But I have my sister to care for, I put her before everything else and that’s why I didn’t leave. Why did I help?,” and he pauses to take a breath and Liam hears how shaky it is “Because I want to prove to you that I am not a bad guy. Nobody believes in me but I thought if I tried to make you then… I don’t know” he ends in a mumble and Liam’s heart almost stops. 

“I’m sorry I betrayed you Liam, I really am. You might not believe it but I didn’t want to. I just needed the money, which I didn’t even get” Zayn says and he sounds exasperated. 

Liam pulls up at the hospital and looks up at it with a sigh.

“Do you want me to leave?” Zayn asks and this time Liam takes off his mask to look at Zayn properly. 

His eyes are dead. The hazel colour is still there but it is not full of the mischief Liam liked so much about them. His face is skinnier than normal and covered with bruises and cuts from his fight with the man in the back seat. He looks like he has just given up on everything. And yet here he is in Liam’s car looking at him like he is all he has left. 

He leans forward and presses a chaste kiss to Zayn’s lips. 

When he pulls back Zayn is staring at him in surprise. The man in the back seat gives a large groan which brings Liam back to reality. 

“Wait here, don’t let him out of your sight” he says and quickly puts his mask back on to run into the hospital. 

+

He finds Louis’ room quickly due to the amount of reporters roaring outside it with their cameras flashing everywhere. 

Liam grumbles in frustration and coughs loudly to draw their attention off the room and onto him. 

“BATMAN!” one of them yell and they all start flocking towards him. 

“Move along gents” he says in his most threatening voice and they retreat in fear. 

When he walks in the first thing he notices is the large bandage covering Louis’ bare chest. It was obviously once a white colour but it is now stained red. The second is Harry’s head resting on Louis’ legs as the boy finally gets some sleep. 

Niall springs up from the chair by Louis’ bed and walks towards him. 

“Car” Liam says and Niall nods before rushing to get out of the room. “Oh and Niall, don’t worry about the other passenger, I’ll explain later” Niall nods again with a frown of confusion and finally exits the room. 

A nurse walks in and covers her mouth in a silent scream when she sees Batman standing over Louis’ bed. He admits it must be quiet a frightening sight. 

“How is he?” he asks her and she takes a moment to steady herself. 

“He should be awake in a few hours, he is doing really well. His heart stopped twice but we got him back. We removed the bullet from his ribs which are all broken or fractured. It will be a long recovery but he will be back on his feet” she whispers, careful not to wake Harry and Liam can feel the weight leave his shoulders. 

“Tell him I said not to worry about anything when he wakes up” Liam tells her, knowing that instead of worrying about himself when he wakes up, Louis will instantly wonder what is happening in Gotham. 

She nods and smiles and Liam quickly vanishes from the room.

+

He walks down to find Niall pressing Zayn up against the car. 

Liam sighs and runs over, checking the back seat first to find the man gone from it. He glances at Niall again and his knuckles are swollen and red.

“What the fuck Li?” Niall hisses looking between Zayn and Liam with fiery cheeks and a look in his eye to match. 

“Let him go” Liam says calmly and gives Niall a warning look which scares him into letting Zayn go. “Zayn’s ok Niall” Liam says and Niall squawks indignantly. 

“He betrayed you!” Niall shouts and Liam silences him with another look before he draws attention. 

“Where is the shooter?” Liam asks, changing the subject and leaving Niall frowning in confusion. 

“Police got him!” he rubs at his knuckles with a cruel smile “Eventually.”

“Ok, let’s go back to the manor. We have a plan to arrange” Liam smiles and opens the back door for Niall to get in.

“He isn’t coming. Is he?” Niall asks throwing Zayn a look over Liam’s shoulder when he eventually gets in the car. 

Liam answers by opening the passenger side door for Zayn and pressing a kiss to his cheek. 

“You’re a cunt” Niall murmurs and Liam hears Zayn snort and he drives away with a smile. 

+

The journey back to the manor is awkward to say the least. Niall makes a show to make digs at Zayn every chance he can get. The never ending tension between Liam and Zayn only adds to it.

“Right, because we have got an absolute madman to catch and a flawless plan to come up with: I’ll let it slide for now” Niall mumbles while taking his costume off before he is even inside the door. Something Alfred is used to as he picks up the flung away garments in Niall’s trail.

Zayn smiles shyly at Liam and because he can, Liam kisses him again. Something Alfred is not used to when he gapes dramatically at the pair.

+

After further deliberation over Liam’s plan and pouring over the blueprints to Arkham, they are no closer to coming up with the perfect plan than before.

Liam is at his wits end when Louis’ name flashes up on his caller ID. He and Niall share a crazed look before diving for the phone.

After a struggle and few bites on Niall’s behalf Liam manages to wrangle the phone from Niall’s grip and answer.

“Louis” he shouts down the line not even caring that the man might be sensitive to sound right now.

He hears that familiar chuckle and although it is laden with pain it doesn’t matter. Louis is alive and of course the first thing Liam hears from him is a laugh.

“Oh Louis” Liam breathes because he nearly lost him. They all nearly lost him.

“Going soft on me Payne?” Louis croaks and Liam can’t help but laugh. And nobody notices when a few tears drip down his face. 

“How are you is everything ok?” Liam rushes and hears anther soft chuckle.

“I’m as ok as I can be. How’s the plan coming along?” And there it is. Liam knew Louis’ first priority would be Gotham and not himself. “Where is Harry?”

Liam’s heart nearly drops to his stomach.

“What do you mean?! He has not left your side” Liam says and Niall’s brow draws in confusion at his words.

Louis doesn’t reply and Liam can hear him swallow around the lump in his throat.

“Don’t worry about him, go get some rest before you go to Arkham” Louis says and it must have took all his strength to say those words.

Liam nods his head and mutters “I’m glad you’re back” before hanging up.

+

He does get the rest Louis suggested albeit an uncomfortable one. Curled up on the armchair by the globe with Zayn sitting on the floor by his feet. Niall doesn’t even bother trying to stay up and flops down in his bed for a good nights sleep.

When we wakes up he checks his phone to find a pretty vague message from Harry saying a simple _I’m ok_. He trusts it for now and texts Louis to let him know Harry is safe.

Alfred walks in and throws the Gotham Gazette into his lap with a grim expression.

Liam sighs before rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and shaking Zayn’s shoulder gently to wake him.

On the front there is a picture of Arkham where The Joker stands outside with a massive white flag in hand. Written on it in crude red writing reads _“Batman surrenders”_ and Liam doesn’t even bother reading the article.

He knows it will be the usual shit in which Batman is blamed for the crime in Gotham’s streets and is the reason The Joker is running loose.

“Arkham is full to the brim with The Joker’s coneys” Alfred tells him and adds “don’t turn on the news” before sauntering out of the room. 

Liam sighs and buries his head into the flimsy cushion he was using as a pillow and feels a small hand wrap around his knee and squeeze gently.

He looks down onto Zayn’s face and curses himself for not tending to it sooner. His left eye is completely swollen over and his bruises are turning a nasty shade of yellow.

He gets off the armchair and retrieves one of the many first aid boxes stashed around the house and sits down crossed legged in front of Zayn.

He won’t look up at Liam, still finding it difficult to connect with him.

Liam takes out a swab to dab at his cuts and cleans up his face in silence. He trails his fingers over the places of Zayn’s face where he isn’t hurt and is nearly taken away by how gorgeous the man really is.

“I’m sorry I was hard on you.” He says quietly and wishes Zayn knew how hard it was for him to apologise.

“It’s ok I’m used to it” Zayn says, still refusing to catch Liam’s eye.

“No it’s not ok. I mean I’m still a bit angry that you betrayed me but I do believe it was for your sister. I know how it feels to be willing to give up everything to keep someone safe.” He squeezes a dollop of antibacterial cream on a bruise and tries to be gentle when Zayn winces “and I believe that you did, and hopefully still do, like me” he feels embarrassed at his words, they make him sound like he a teenage boy in school. But he continues staring at Zayn even though Zayn won’t look back.

“You said I was nothing but a bad thing” Zayn says and Liam’s heart tugs with guilt when Zayn’s whole face contorts with pain and not because of the cuts. 

Liam puts down the cloth and puts both hands on Zayn’s jaw to tilt his head up. Zayn’s eyes remain downcast.

“I didn’t mean it Zayn. I was angry and took it out on you and I’m sorry” he says and if he sounds like he is pleading he doesn’t care anymore. He has gone this long alone and doesn’t want to give up on the only person who he thinks he ever had a chance with.

He kisses Zayn’s jaw softly and rests his forehead against his own hand on Zayn’s jaw. “I’m sorry” he repeats in a whisper.

“You said that I hopefully still like you?” Zayn says and Liam’s ears perk up “Well I think I more than like you Liam, it would explain why my stupid ass is sitting on your floor covered in cuts and bruises” he finishes and that drawl is back. The one that used to haunt Liam’s every waking step.

Liam’s head shoots up and Zayn is looking at him now with that sparkle back in his eye and a cheeky grin.

Liam laughs and kisses Zayn again. And again. And again until they are both giggling into each other’s mouths like teenagers.

“Sorry to interrupt this disgusting moment but we have to go” Niall coughs from the doorway and Liam and Zayn break apart to look up at him guiltily.

Instead of an angry expression Niall is looking at them with a shit eating grin on his face.

“I’ll make it up to you too” zayn says on his way past Niall in the doorway.

“Not in the way you’ll be making it up to Liam thanks” Niall smiles and winks at the blushing Liam who is struggling to get into his suit.

“Ok is everything sorted?” Niall checks before they leave.

“Just about” Liam says, fighting the growing ball of nerves in his stomach and squeezes Zayn’s arm.

“Lets go”

+

When they pull up around the block from Arkham there is an eerie silence about the place. It is almost like a ghost town. But Liam knows as soon as he rounds the corner he will see all and out terror. 

“Ok so when I give you the first signal, you gather the police outside the building. On the second signal, you both come in to help me” Liam reasurres pointing at the small gadget Harry had come up with years ago. It was one of his first inventions and he had been so proud of it. 

It is a tiny metallic device that sticks to the skin of the palm. One squeeze and it triggers a small alarm in a twin device somewhere else. Niall is in current possession of the alarm and holds it nervously in his hands. 

“Be safe Li” Niall says quietly and Liam can see the worry even behind the thick black eye mask he wears. 

“I will” Liam reassures him and fights the urge to wrap Niall in his arms. 

“See you in a minute” Zayn says, sounding much stronger than Niall but his eyes give him away. As usual. 

Liam simply nods and brushes his fingers against Zayn’s leg before getting out of the car. 

His cape sweeps dramatically in the wind and as he approaches Arkham his heart starts to pound in time with his march. 

He is being watched, he can feel it when he walks past the strong man-made gate. Two nervous guards approach him and grab his arms to haul him in. 

He could easily take them on but it would foil Liam’s plan significantly. He hates the feeling of their scrawny arms touching him and their manic eyes staring at him with glee.

The further they drag Liam towards the doors to Arkham the more and more convicts gather to watch as the brave and strong Batman is stripped down to nothing but a part in The Joker’s game.

“Ahhhh, how good of you to join us” an elated voice echoes throughout the building as soon as Liam steps foot inside the doors. 

The Joker is sitting on a man-made throne in the centre of the atrium with a crown made of what looks like mattress springs. He looks more terrifying than he ever has. Maybe it’s because Liam knows this could possibly be the end.

“You alone?” The Joker asks but it is rhetorical. He trusts that out of the two of them, Batman is the one less likely to break an agreement.

“Well let’s get this show on the road, don’t want to keep the audience waiting”

“Audience?” Liam repeats trying not to feel nervous under everyone’s gaze.

“Gotham of course, up to the roof we go” The Joker shouts with a clap of his hands and a wave of his coat.

Liam’s stomach lurches when he realises that this might alter the plan for Niall and Zayn and hopes they will make it up to him in time.

“SEIZE HIM” The Joker screeches with a crazy bout of laughter and a handful of guards take hold of Liam and wrap strong rope around him so he can hardly move.

Liam doesn’t even resist or flinch; he just keeps an indifferent gaze past The Joker’s shoulder and waits for whatever is going to happen.

He is tugged along as The Joker prances up the stairs to the fire exit for the roof.

“After you sweet cheeks” The Joker gets up close to Liam’s face. Liam can see everything in definition from the painted over scars on his face to the plaque on his teeth.

He pats Liam’s cheek, flings open the door and waves a hand for Liam to be pushed outside.

It is cold up on the roof at night and Liam can see the Gotham skyline silhouetted against the moonlit sky. If he wasn’t in such a difficult position he would be breath taken by the beauty of his city.

He scans the grounds of Arkham for any sign of his backup and breathes easy when he spots nothing.

“Drafty up here isn’t it? Good think I’m wearing my lucky underwear, my mother knitted them especially for my 18th birthday” The Joker muses staring out in the same direction as Liam.

“Can you just get this over with” Liam grunts, starting to shiver from the cold wind.

“Now now Batty no need to go _batshit_ crazy” The Joker cackles wiping away fake tears at his own joke.

“Funny” Liam snaps and The Joker and his guards jeer him cruelly.

“So Batman, tell us, what’s it like being The Dark Knight? Sometimes I reckon you’re only doing it to overcompensate for smaller body parts,” he says in a theatrical whisper “but after some…. Peeping I realise that’s certainly not true”

Liam flinches at the thought.

“Do you ever get lonely?” The Joker asks with a serious tone and hums softly while fixing the lapels of his jacket. “I’d say you do, I thought you had found someone in that small weak fella but he just turned out to be one of mine. That must have stung” he laughs sadly like he is telling a tragic tale.

Liam thinks of Zayn waiting down in the car, willing to do anything to prove to Liam he is not going to betray him again. His heart tugs when he realises he didn’t even worry that maybe Zayn is still working for The Joker. That now, he trusts him completely. 

“How did it feel to kiss someone who was more loyal to me?!” The Joker asks, stepping closer to Liam and picking at imaginary fluff on his suit.

Liam almost clenches his fists and stops when he remembers the device in the palm of his hand.

He wants to break the ropes wrapped around him and lash out, scream that Zayn is not The Jokers and is not loyal to him. He is _Liam’s_ now. 

“Hit a nerve?” The Joker grins right in Liam’s face and he looks ecstatic.

“Ok I’m bored, I thinks it’s time for your big debut” The Joker says and starts to rub his hands together with excitement.

“Where is that reporter? We don’t want to forget about this in a hurry” The Joker says and one of his henchmen throw forward a smaller man with a video camera shaking in his hands.

He avoids everyone’s gaze and brings the camera up to his eye on The Joker’s command.

“I’m ready for my close up” he says, pointing at the reporter with a click of his fingers.

Liam watches the red light glow from the camera as the man starts recording. 

“Ladies and gentlemen I, The Joker, have come tonight to present to you the revelation of the Batman. In an act of heroic sacrifice he has decided to save all of your lives by giving up his treasured identity and leaving you all in my hands. That’s right Gothamettes, say hello to your new saviour” he laughs, waving flirtatiously at the lens. His henchmen chuckle and look at him with wonder on their faces.

“So without further ado, I bring you The Batman” The Joker howls, skipping over to Liam with intent in his eyes.

That’s when Liam clenches his fist once.

There is a long second that Liam sees in slow motion. Nothing happens after he triggers the alarm and The Joker’s arm extends further towards Liam’s mask. He swallows nervously, thinking that the device must not have worked and prepares for everything to go wrong.

Then he hears a loud gunshot on the grounds and a hum of noise. The Joker whips around and walks over to the edge of the roof to peer down.

In curiosity the guards shuffle Liam over to the edge to look down themselves.

The hum grows louder and as the lights from torches come closer, the noise turns out to be shouts from The Gotham city police force.

Led by none other than Harry Styles.

“What the-?” The Joker and Liam exclaim at the same time.

Harry is wearing the commissioner uniform and holding what looks like Louis’ gun. Liam’s heart swells with pride and he can’t help the cheer he emits.

The Joker snaps around and snarls at Liam.

Before he can get his head around what is happening the police force break into the building and gunshots echo as the guards downstairs start to fight back.

“You broke our agreement!” The Joker howls and turns to Liam to backhand him across the face. He starts screaming in anger, throwing his arms wildly around and kicking out Liam.

The guards shove Liam closer to the edge of the building and wait for The Jokers orders.

Liam clenches his fist again.

“You think you’re getting away with this?!” The Joker hisses and reaches for Liam’s mask, still intent on ripping it off even though the reporter ran off in fear.

Just as The Joker gets a grip on the underside of Liam’s mask he is wrenched back.

“Let him go” Liam hears Zayn growl at the guards holding Liam. Their arms start to loosen and when he is free enough, Liam spins around and catches one of them by the jaw.

He shucks the rope off and lashes out at the other guard coming for him.

When they’re down on the ground Zayn looks at Liam with the “are you ok?” obvious in his eyes.

Before Liam can say or do anything a cry comes from behind them.

The Joker had been pulled back by Niall but he had gotten the better of him. He has Niall by the cape, hanging him off the edge of the roof.

“Let me free or he gets dropped” he shouts, and Niall’s body sways dangerously in the wind.

Liam takes a step forward and The Joker loosens his grip on Niall’s cape in warning and Niall shouts in fear.

“I mean it, Robin goes bye bye”

Liam turns to Zayn and catches his eye. Zayn nods and Liam takes a step back.

“Ok” he says putting his hands up in surrender and The Joker eyes him warily but pulls Niall up all the same.

The Joker skips to and fro on his feet nervously and Niall runs over to stand behind Zayn.

“So nice to see a reunion like this” The Joker says pointing between Liam and Zayn with a teasing smile.

“You’ve got five seconds” Liam grunts stepping towards the maniac.

“Ok ok I’m going I’m going. See ya around” The Joker cackles and runs towards the door.

The gunshots from downstairs bring them to attention.

“Ring Harry or someone in the force and tell him to catch that son of a bitch” Liam says to Niall “And you go wait in the car” he points to Zayn.

“Where are you going?” Niall asks Liam while stabbing his phone’s keypad violently.

“Downstairs”

Zayn snorts and folds his arms across his chest. “You want me to go down to the car?”

“Yes” Liam says firmly and watches Niall as he animatedly talks down the phone ordering whomever it is to go after The Joker.

Zayn snorts again and levels Liam with a challenging glare that reminds Liam of all the times they met before. Liam can’t help the smile that breaks out on his face.

“Ok that’s weird, Batman shouldn’t smile and let’s go downstairs to help the others. My guy got The Joker” Niall says pushing past Liam and Zayn with a rosy colour on his cheeks.

They follow Niall quickly and walk into mayhem.

Guns have stopped being fired as much and the police and convicts have now resorted to using their fists to fight.

Harry is standing by the throne locked in a fist fight with a man much taller than him. His curls are askew and the top four buttons on his commissioner shirt have been ripped off. But he looks like he in his element as he dodges punches and lands tough ones of his own. Liam knows it is all for Louis and leaves him to it, turning to the nearest convict to knock him out.

Every time a gun shoots Liam jumps nervously as fears of Zayn, Niall or Harry being shot rush through him. But they must know this and each time a bullet leaves a gun, they make some noise to let Liam know they’re ok.

After what feels like hours, the police stand triumphantly over the convicts lying on the ground.

Niall has a bust lip, Harry’s clothes are in tatters and his knuckles are bleeding and Zayn’s already bruised face has fresh cuts to add to the mess. Liam feels sharp pains across his chest each time he breathes in but he nods proudly around them all.

“What about the water tower?” He asks Niall who quickly checks his phone.

His smile gives Liam the news before he says “it’s done, the police got in and removed the crates”.

Zayn breathes out with relief and pats Niall on the back.

“Well done” he says and Niall’s blush deepens and he throws Zayn a look.

“Still don’t like you”

Zayn smiles down at the ground and mutters “that’s ok”.

“What are the casualties?” Liam asks, hating the question but needing to.

“Don’t know yet but it’s looking bad” Niall grumbles and they don’t need to look around the room to know that they’ve lost a lot of men tonight. Liam hates that part.

A screech of brakes comes from outside the doors and they burst open with a loud bang. Liam, on impulse, braces himself for more fighting.

Instead of an army of The Joker’s followers, a very angry and pained looking Louis storms in, dragging his IV drip with him. He is still wearing his scrubs and they flutter as he marches right up to Harry.

“What the fuck happened? You all went ahead with that fucking plan even though I told you it was crap! What the fucks going on?! Are you alright? Is that… Is that my uniform?” He screeches going red in the face from lack of breathing.

Instead of anyone answering, Harry grins down at him and winks.

“You… You’re … Urgh!” Louis throws his free hand up and glares at each of them viciously.

“Aw, were you worried Lou?” Harry teases and Louis growls at him.

Harry laughs and pulls Louis into a kiss that makes Niall gag and Liam turn away.

“How did you even get out of the hospital?” Zayn asks when Harry finally lets Louis go. Or the other way around.

“What the fuck are you going here?!” Louis gasps when he realises who voiced the question.

“I think we all have some explaining to do” Liam interrupts when Zayn’s eyes widen with fear. “But for now, we have work to attend to”.

+

They leave the asylum, leaving the clean up to the already tired police force. They ignore the badly parked (and obviously stolen) ambulance which Louis seems grateful for. Harry giggles and helps Louis to walk. Liam marvels at the way the proud-to-be-strong Louis easily slips into the boys care.

After hours of paper work and rounding the city, Liam finally pulls up to Gotham’s jail. The Joker sits in a cell picking idly at his teeth and his eyes light up when Liam walks in.

“Miss me?” He sneers, stepping up to the bars.

“Dreadfully” Liam deadpans. “I’ve come to tell you just exactly what we are going to do with you”

Liam notices The Joker swallow in fear but he grins at Liam and laughs it off. “Go ahead”

“First, you’re going to get a beating because honestly it’s a long time coming. Secondly, you’re going to be tied up in a straight jacket. And thirdly you’re going on a long trip in a boat until you land in some island I’ve never heard of where there lies a prison that is quite impossible to break out of” Liam tells him with a smile.

He watches as The Joker thinks and panics. He is probably trying to come up with some plan to escape. But he won’t this time and it leaves a satisfying feeling in Liam’s heart.

“See you around” Liam finishes and leaves The Joker howling in his cell.

He drives Louis back to the hospital and Harry jumps out swinging his overnight bag happily.

“I’m still angry at you” he hears Louis mutter before Harry closes the door “but seeing you in my uniform was pretty hot _Commissioner Styles_ ”

Niall lets out an exasperated breath and Liam laughs as they pull away.

And that tension is back again. With Zayn sitting in the front seat not even making a sound. Even with Niall chewing obnoxiously in the back Liam can feel that thrumming in his veins.

When they reach Payne manor Niall rolls out of the car and almost runs into the house.

“See you lovebirds after you fuck this tension out of each other” he calls over his shoulder and Liam is so thankful for his mask that covers his fiery blush.

Zayn laughs and lights a cigarette, calmly leaning against the car.

“Thanks for helping” Liam says, awkwardly shuffling his feet.

Zayn takes another few puffs of his smoke before putting it out at his feet . He leans up on his toes to take Liam’s mask off and smiles when he sees his face.

“That’s better” he whispers and Liam is pretty sure if they talked any louder it would sound like a gunshot.

“I mean it, thank you” Liam mutters and reaches out to rub a cut on Zayn’s face.

Zayn’s mouth opens and closes and Liam wants to shake whatever he wants to say but is too afraid to out of him.

“Don’t thank me. I’m trying to make it up to you” he says and looks down at himself with a frown.

“Hey, where is the Zayn I know?” Liam asks and tilts Zayn’s chin up to meet his eyes. “I refuse to let you in until he’s back”

Zayn looks confused for a minute and his eyes scan Liam’s face. Then his pupils widen and that familiar smirk spreads across his face.

“I never went anywhere” he says in a voice so sarcastic and so _Zayn_ that it sends shivers down Liam’s spine.

He pushes Zayn against the car and kisses the breath from him. They grip at each other and moan and gasp and rut against each other until Liam’s groin is painfully tight in his suit.

“You can come in now” Liam says breathlessly and when he opens the door to the house for Zayn, he hopes Zayn knows that he didn’t just mean into his home.

“My gratitude knows no bounds” Zayn sneers but his eyes tell Liam everything he needs to know.

That finally Batman, the Dark Knight, the masked vigilante, _Liam_ is finally opening himself up and Zayn is letting him.

**The end.**


End file.
